THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


GIFT  OF 


THE 


WHIGS   OF   SCOTLAND: 


LAST    OF    THE    STUARTS 


AN  HISTORICAL  ROMANCE 


SCOTTISH    PERSECUTION 


"  I  tread  with  reverence,  the  spot  where  I  trace  the  footsteps  of  our  suffering 
fathers  :  it  is  to  me  a  classical,  yea,  a  holy  land :  it  is  rich  in  the  memoirs  of  the 
great,  and  the  good, — the  martyrs  of  liberty,  and  the  exiled  heralds  of  truth." 


IN  TWO  VOLUMES. 
VOL.   I. 


NEW- YORK:  . 
PRINTED  AND  PUBLISHED  BY  J.  &  J.  HARPER, 

NO.   82,   CLIFF-STREET, 

AND    SOLD    BY    THE    BOOKSELLERS    GENERALLY    THROUGHOUT 
THE    UNITED    STATES. 

1833. 


[.Entered  according  to  the  act  of  Congress,  in-  the  year  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  thirty-three,  by  J.  &  J.  HARPER,  in  the  Clerk's  office,  of  the  District. 
Court  of  the  United  State*  for  the  Southern  District  of  New- York.] 


Henry  Ludwig,  Print  er. 


THE 


OR,     THE 


LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS. 


DEDICATION, 


TO  THE  DESCENDANTS  OF  THE  WHIGS :  AND  TO  THOSE  WHO 
HONOUR  THEIR  MEMORY. 


GENTLEMEN, 

I  had  formerly  dedicated  these 
volumes  to  SIR  WALTER  SCOTT, — the  immor 
tal  honour  of  Scotland ;  who,  though  he  frank 
ly  differed  from  us  in  many  things,  was,  never 
theless,  known  by  all  his  friends,  to  admire 
and  applaud  the  character  of  the  genuine  AULD 
WHIGS  OF  THE  COVENANT.  Alas  !  Sir  Walter 
is  no  more !  Scotland  mourns  her  immortal 
poet  and  historian. — Next  to  him,  whom  all 
Scotland  loved  and  admired, — to  whom  can  I 
dedicate  them,  so  appropriately,  as  unto  you  ? 

Gentlemen : — I  lay  before  you  a  narrative  of 
the  deeds  of  your  gallant  forebears.  It  em 
braces  a  period  of  sixteen  months  in  their  histo 
ry,  emphatically  styled  the  Killing  Times. 

While  the  Stuart  has  been  commemorated 
in  the  religious  festivals  of  England ;  and  no 
pains  spared,  on  the  part' of  the  tories  of  Bri 
tain, — especially  of  late,  by  Sir  Walter,  the 
FIRST  WRITER  of  our  day,  to  glorify  their  an 
cestors  ; — justice  has  not  been  rendered  to  our 
gallant  forebears.  Much  yet  remains  to  be 
done  to  set  their  character  and  actions  in  a  true 
light ;  and  remove  the  obloquy  thrown  on  them, 
by  malignity  or  ignorance.  Dr.  M'Crie  taught 
Sir  Walter  to  think  differently  of  them. 

VOL.  I. A 


DEDICATION. 


The  character  and  conduct  of  the  Scottish 
Whigs  are  public  property.  It  belongs  to  the 
community  of  nations  to  vindicate  their  honour. 
Like  WASHINGTON,  they  sought  no  private  in 
terests  :  they  led  the  van  in  the  revolution  of 
nations.  The  enemy  which  they  encountered 
and  overthrew,  is  the  same  which  the  American 
patriots  overthrew;  and  the  same  which  the 
convulsed  nations  of  Europe,  and  our  Southern 
continent,  are  now  combatting.  The  Scottish 
Whigs  achieved,  in  their  nation,  what  the  pa 
triots  of  every  nation  will  achieve,  in  the  day 
when  they  rise  to  vindicate  their  rights.  Theirs 
is  the  proud  honour  of  having  struck  the  first 
blow,  as  the  van  of  the  patriotic  hosts,  who  will 
overthrow  tyranny;  and  give  liberty  to  the 
world!  Every  incident  respecting  them  is, 
therefore,  of  public  interest. 

One  thing  is  peculiar  to  the  Scottish  strug 
gle  : — it  was  for  their  religion,  as  well  as  their 
liberty.  This  was  not  of  the  Covenanter's 
choice.  It  was  a  necessity  imposed  on  them, 
by  the  intolerant  claimants  of  Divine  rights, 
and  absolute  supremacy  over  the  human  con 
science  !  And  this  very  circumstance  throws 
an  air  of  higher  grandeur  and  sublimity  over 
our  forefathers'  toils  and  sufferings.  Our  sym 
pathies  are  intensely  excited  for  the  men  who 
perilled  their  lives  for  the  altars  of  their  God, 
and  the  liberties  of  their  country ! 

THE  AUTHOR. 
TORFOOT  HALL,  ) 
April,  1833.    \ 


INTRODUCTION. 


"  Pleasant  to  the  soul,  is  the  remembrance  of  the  days  of  other  years*" 


HISTORY  can  lay  before  us  only  a  general  detail. 
Events,  their  causes  and  consequences,  are  the  legitimate, 
and  almost  only  attainable  objects  of  the  historian.  Mor  e 
than  this  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to  accomplish. 
Materials  for  minute  details,  are  not  usually  preserved. 
And  it  would  be  utterly  impolitic  to  attempt  more.  The 
tedious  delineations  would  render  his  voluminous  history 
inaccessible  to  the  great  majority  of  his  readers. 

How  much  is  thereby  lost  to  posterity,  both  of  profit 
and  enjoyment !    The  family  picture,  the  fire-side  seen  e  s 
to  which  we  long  to  be  introduced, — the  smiling  inno 
cence,  the  unalloyed  enjoyments  which  virtue  and  love 
bestow ;  the  throbs  of  the  patriot  and  martyr's  bosom  ; 
the  heart-rending  sorrows  spread  over  a  whole  circle  o 
helpless  and  innocent  beings,  by  the  cruelty  of  tyrants , 
and  the  bigotry  of  fanatics  ;  the  sufferers'  firmness,  and 
patience,  and  meek-spirited  forgiveness, — are  all  lost  to 
us,  with  the  instructive  lessons  of  their  minute  detail. 

Every  one  has  felt  how  delightful  history  becomes 


IT  INTRODUCTION. 

when,  occasionally,  it  condescends  to  enter  into  minute 
and  personal  narrative.  And  it  is  this  very  thing  which 
renders  works  of  imagination,  the  party  tales,  and  parti 
cularly  the  historical  romance,  so  delightful  to  the  young, 
to  the  gay,  and  to  the  studious  ;  and  acceptable  even  to 
the  philosopher  and  the  divine.  They  supply,  in  a  natu 
ral  manner,  the  thing  we  long  after.  The  minute  detail, 
the  family  scenes,  the  mental  labours,  the  gradual  forma 
tion  of  character,  the  shadings,  the  frailties  of  those 
whose  deeds  and  actings  on  the  grand  arena  of  human 
life,  we  contemplate  on  the  sober  and  chastened  pages  of 
history.  History  exhibits  them  in  the  dimness  and  ob 
scurity  of  distance.  In  the  minute  and  personal  narra 
tive,  we  are  brought  near  to  the  actors ;  we  are  introduced 
to  them,  and  hold  communion  with  their  souls  and  feel 
ings. 

And  he  who  has  studied  the  human  heart ;  and  the 
various  forms  of  character  brought  out  on  the  arena  of 
life,  may  give  a  delineation  of  the  character  of  the  patriot- 
martyr,  his  sorrows,  and  enjoyments,  and  motives,  in  a 
manner,  we  doubt  not,  quite  as  faithfully  according  to 
the  truth,  as  are  most  of  the  historian's  details  of  the 
events,  and  personages,  of  what  he  is  pleased  to  call  the 
history  of  real  life. 

There  is  a  period  in  the  Scottish  History  to  which  my 
mind  turns  always  with  an  irrepressible  and  holy  enthu 
siasm  ; — a  period  when  mofle  of  the  Scottish  character 
was  brought  out  and  set  in  bold  relief,  than  in  any  other 
period  before  it  or  since. 

The  bright  days  of  happiness  and  peace,  the  singular 
prosperity  of  the  nation,  and  unparalleled  progress  of  the 
sciences,  have  changed  the  face  of  Scotland,  since  her 
union  with  England.  Every  body  now,  is  content  with 


INTRODUCTION.  T 

the  sacrifice  of  the  nation's  Independence.  The  sacri 
fice,  merely  of  feeling  or  national  pride,  which  made  the 
high-minded  Scottish  patriot  sigh  for  a  season,  has  been 
amply  rewarded  by  its  Union  with  England.  But  those 
bright  days  were  immediately  preceded  by  a  wintry 
storm, — which  has  not  its  equal  in  the  records  of  Scot 
land,  or  perhaps  any  other  nation's  story.  During  that 
winter  of  her  year,  the  boldest,  and  the  best,  and  the 
worst  of  her  characters  were  exhibited  in  their  full-length 
portraits. — The  enthusiasm  of  the  WHIG  came  into  fierce 
collision  with  the  enthusiasm  of  the  TORY. 

In  the  present  enlightened  and  liberal-minded  age, 
when  charity  throws,  playfully,  around  each  rival,  a 
chivalrous  generosity ;  the  more  liberal  Tory  renders 
justice  to  the  fierce  rival  of  his  forefathers.  And  even  the 
Whig  lets  down  the  stern  features  of  olden  times,  and  is 
softened  down  into  a  smile  of  forbearance  and  even  gra- 
tulation.  And,  side  by  side,  they  look  back  over  the 
KILLING  TIMES  with  a  rare  combination  of  pity,  good 
will,  and  forgiveness  !  But  no  patriot,  no  politician,  will 
permit  the  remembrance  of  these  times  to  pass  away  from 
his  heart. — Nor  can  they :  that  dignity  in  the  hour  of 
sufferings ;  that  purity  of  sentiment,  and  of  Christian 
doctrine  ;  that  enthusiastic  love  of  liberty,  and  of  truth  ; 
that  spirit  of  fearless  investigation,  and  manly  resistance, 
which  raised  its  voice  and  its  hand,  in  the  palaces  of  the 
great,  and  the  thatched  cottages  of  the  peasantry  of  Scot- 
bind,  against  the  gigantic  efforts  of  a  civil  and  religious 
fanaticism,  which  aimed  at  no  less  than  the  dragooning 
of  a  nation  into  the  belief  of  the  divine  right  of  kings, 
and  the  divine  right  of  prelates,  to  rule  in  absolute 
supremacy  over  men's  souls  and  estates; — that  effec 
tual  and  glorious  overthrow  of  this  tyranny  and  priest- 


Yl  INTRODUCTION. 

craft  ;  and  that  ushering  in  of  the  happiest  and  brightest 
days  of  Scotland, — can  never  be  forgotten.  And,  more 
over,  it  can  never  be  forgotten  that  these  were  the  fruits  of 
the  toils  and  sufferings  of  the  WHIGS  OP  SCOTLAND  ! 
Thence  does  the  Christian  patriot  derive  a  holy  and  im 
pressive  lesson  which  he  ceases  not  to  imprint  on  the 
memories  of  his  children,  that  civil  and  religious  liberty 
will  ultimately  triumph  over  every  conspiracy  to  put  it 
down  ; — were  it  plotted  by  a  Leo  of  Medici,  by  a  Laud 
of  England,  and  by  a  Sharp  of  Scotland  ;  and  were  it 
executed  by  the  sword  of  a  Stuart,  the  bayonet  of  a  Bour 
bon,,  and  the  scimetar  of  a  Mahomet ! 


THE 

WHIGS    OF    SCOTLAND: 

OR,    THE 

\ 

LAST   OF   THE   STUARTS. 


BOOK  I. 


CHAPTER  I. 

"  Ibat  ovans,  anima  et  spe  sua  damna  levabat." 

ON  a  bright  winter  evening  in  February,  A.D.  1678,  a 
solitary  student  was  pacing,  with  hurried  step,  the  stone 
pavement  of  the  inner  court  of  the  College  of  Glasgow.  He 
had  lingered  behind  his  jocund  associates,  after  the  close  of 
the  serious  business  of  the  day,  and  the  amusements  of  the 
evening.  He  was  a  tall  and  manly  figure,  wrapt  in  the 
ample  foldings  of  the  scarlet  cloak,  the  badge  of  the  studious 
youth  of  that  ancient  and  famous  University.  His  yellow 
hair  fell  in  a  rich  profusion  of  curls  on  his  shoulders ;  and 
his  slouched  hat  shaded  a  face,  on  whose  features  the  hand 
of  nature  had  stamped  the  noble  image  of  greatness,  lighted 
up  by  manly  beauty,  and  softened,  withal,  by  a  gentle  and 
pensive  melancholy,  which  quenched  something  of  its  ori 
ginal  and  natural  vivacity,  but  added  greatly  to  its  interest 
in  the  eyes  of  the  beholder. 

"  I  keep  tryst," — said  he,  starting  from  his  profound  re 
verie,  and  raising  his  eyes  to  the  lofty  spire,  as  the  deep-toned 
bell  tolled  the  hour  of  nine.  And  with  struggling  emotions, 
he  glanced  over  the  venerable  pile  which  surrounded  him, 
as  if  taking  his  final  leave  of  them.  The  moon's  clear 
beams  illumined  the  ancient  steep  roofs,  whose  grey-colour 
ed  slates  had  resisted  the  storms  of  more  than  eleven  score 


8  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

years.*  The  high  narrow  windows  reflected  back  the  gleam 
of  the  moon's  cold  rays :  and  the  turreted  stair-cases,  slated 
to  the  summit  of  their  circular  peaks,  cast  their  gloomy  sha 
dows  on  the  dark  wall  and  pavement  below. 

Not  a  step  was  heard  in  the  inner,  or  outer  court,  but  his 
own.  The  deep  silence  was  interrupted  partially,  by  the 
night  winds  moaning  through  the  ancient  turrets ;  and  the 
fitful  booming  of  the  kettle  drum  of  some  stray  party  of  the 
Life  guards,  returning  from  some  bloody  forray,  to  their  tents 
which  lay  stretched  forth  beyond  the  College  garden. 

"  Here," — continued  he, — "  I  must  wait  my  trusty  com 
rades  :  our  arrangement  with  the  leaders  of  the  Whigs  shall 
be  consummated :  and  then  adieu  to  these  academic  shades, 
— and,  perchance,  for  ever  ! — Dear  and  venerated  spot ! 
How  my  fond  heart  delights  to  linger  nigh  thee  ! — These 
walls,  these  windows,  these  turrets,  have  looked  down  on  the 
busy  crowds  of  youth  of  seven  generations  !  These  courts, 
and  academic  groves  have  re-echoed  to  the  voices  of  thou 
sands  of  Caledonia's  choicest  sons !  Within  these  spacious 
halls  many  a  notable  spirit  has  panted  in  holy  rivalship  in 
the  career  of  science !  Many  a  scholar  has  drunk  in  the 
classic  lore  at  this  fountain !  Many  a  young  nobleman,  and 
chivalrous  knight  have  gone  hence,  to  light  up  the  glory 
of  Caledonia's  crown :  and  many  a  deep  theologian  to  break 
a  spear  with  the  foes  of  God ;  and  build  up  the  solid  fame, 
and  purity  o'  the  gude  auld  KIRK  o'  SCOTLAND  ;  and  many  a 
scholar  to  pour  the  hallowed  rays  of  truth  and  science  over 
the  breadth  and  length  of  our  native  land !  Venerated  seat 
of  science!  may  heaven's  holy  benedictions  rest  on  thee; 
and  light  up  in  thee  a  brilliant  constellation  of  new  stars,  to 
throw  their  sparkling  light  in  future  generations, — like  thy 
Boyds  and  thy  Dicksons ; — thy  Baileys,  and  thy  Gillespies ; 
— thy  Loudons,  thy  Fletchers,  thy  Argyles,  and  thy  Stewarts ! 

The  din  ofarms," — continued  our  youth,  after  a  deep  pause, 
and  gathering  up  the  ample  foldings  of  his  cloak, — "  The 
din  of  arms,  I  had  fondly  hoped,  would  not  have  reached  us, 
in  our  retreat,  within  these  academic  shades.  I  trusted  that 
we  should  have  been  permitted  of  heaven,  to  finish,  in  quiet 
ness,  like  our  gude  forbears,  our  academic  career ;  and  thence 
have  entered,  in  a  manner  befitting  our  fathers'  sons,  on  the 

*  In  A.D.  1678.  The  University  of  Glasgow  was  founded  in  A.D. 
1450. 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE   STUARTS.  9 

arena  of  Scotland's  politics.  But — the  demons  of  discord 
are  abroad  in  the  land. — My  country !  My  king !  house  of 
the  living  God!  dear  to  my  soul  as  the  kirk  of  my  father's 
God, — you  are  hurled  headlong  against  each  other,  in  the 
horrid  broils  of  civil  discord!  The  war  shout  of  tyranny 
from  its  bloody  car, — the  wailing  of  the  oppressed, — the 
clanking  of  chains, — the  clashing  of  arms,  are  heard  over 
the  land :  and  men's  ears  are  filled  with  direful  rumours. — 
The  day  of  Heaven's  inquisition  for  blood  will  come — it 
will  reveal  where  the  guilt  lies, — whether  with  the  bigot 
Clarendon, — or  king  Charles, — sit  fas  loqui, — or  with  his 
minions,  Archbishop  Sharp,  and  Lauderdale, — or  with  the 
bold  and  uncompromising  Covenanter. — The  gude  auld 
knight  declares  that  none  can  be  neutral  in  this,  the  day  of 
our  country's  visitation, — and  I  begin  to  feel  it, — though  the 
charms  of  literature,  absorbing  my  attention,  have  hitherto 
denied  the  opportunity  of  settling  this  point  for  myself.  But, 
now, — I  am  driven  to  the  crisis, — the  gude  knight  has  sent 
his  paternal  injunctions  "to  throw  aside,  as  the  fishermen 
their  nets,  of  old, — this  trumpery  of  classical  and  metaphysi 
cal  laer,  and  hasten  to  the  assistance  o'  the  gallant  spirits  wha 
hae  sworn  the  great  aith,  to  redress  their  kintry's  vvrangs." 
— My  certie !  the  demons  o'  madness  must  hae  scathed  the 
heads  o'  the  nations, — they  must  be  red  wud  mad, — when  they 
venture,  thus  wantonly,  to  trample,  under  their  feet,  the  con 
stitution  and  fundamental  laws  o'  auld  Scotland! — and  to 
throw  themselves  in  the  shock  of  arms,  upon  the  best  and 
maist  patriotic  men  in  the  land !" 

As  our  young  knight  was  uttering  these  words  in  a  tone 
of  despondency, — a  loud  and  unearthly  scream  issued  from 
the  narrow  passage,  which  conducts  from  the  inner  court 
into  the  College  garden :  and  a  little,  corpulent,  roundfaced 
man,  bustling  and  panting  in  great  agitation,  and  uttering 

half  broken  sentences,  ran  headlong  against  him: "The 

principal — and  haile  faculty ! — — Na,  na !  That  thing  wunna 
du:  run,  call  the  beadles  and  the  bailies,  and  e'en  the  Lord 
Provost  himsel. — They'll  hae  the  puir  lad  a'  whanged  up 
intil  callops !  Saf  us  a' ! — And  you  too,  Sir," — continued  he, 
staring  into  the  muffled  face  of  our  student, — "  Wha  may  ye 
be,  sir,  at  this  untimeous  hoor  within  this  my  ain  precincts? 
You  too  transgressing  the  gude  laws  o'  the  College, — instead 
o'  being  in  yer  bed,  or  study-room,  lik  a  douce,  sober  student ; 


10 


THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND! 


— you  too,  to  run  over  my  puir  body,  when  I'm,  at  this  in 
stant,  in  the  King's  service,  trying  to  keep  the  peace,  if  I  can 
get  the  Bailies  and  Toon  Cooncil  to  du  it!" 

"  And  I  pray  thee,  Archy !  wilt  thou  condescend  to  inform 
me,  as  soon  as  thy  feckless  brains  hae  recovered  their  senses, 
on  what  fool's  errand  thou  art  careering  at  this  gaite  ?  Or 
what  may  hae  scattered  a'  the  puir  wits  thou  aince  hadst?  In 
thy  vocation  as  Janitor  and  key  bearer,  Archy !  thou  hast 
usually  displayed  as  meikle  gravity,  as  micht  du  honour — 
saving  his  presence, — to  the  archbishop  Sharp  himsel. 

"Archbishop  Sharp!  Humph!" — cried  Archy. — "But 
run,  Sir,  I  hae  nae  time  to  tak  up  archbishop  Sharp  wi'  ye 
Weel,  as  I  was  telling  you" 

"  You  have  not  told  me  a  word  yet,  Archy,"  said  the  young 
Knight. 

"  Howsomever,  as  I  was  telling  you," — continued  the  per 
severing  Archy,  who  had,  like  many  of  his  betters,  conceived 
his  preceding  cogitations  to  be  addressed,  by  way  of  conver 
sation,  to  the  present  party; — "As  I  was  gangin',  ye  see, 
my  usual  rounds,  as  in  duty  bound,  before  I  turned  the  key 
o*  the  front  gate, — I  heard  a  fearfu'  clashing  o'  swords,  and 
yelloching  doon  bye  in  the  College  garden.  It  souched  up 
frae  the  burnie  which  runs  through  the  lower  parts,  ye  ken ; 
and  the  fearfu'  bruit  increased  waur,  and  mair  waur,  than 
the  leather-lunged  caterwauling  o'  a  score  o'  cats,  in  full  blast ! 
I  ran  with  a'  my  micht  towrard  the  spot ;  and  after  at  least  a 
dozen  o'  upsets,  and  wi'  nae  sma'  scaith  to  my  frontispiece, 
• — I  gat  near  enough  to  discern  ane  o'  oor  students,  frae  his 
gown,  engaged  in  a  stoot  match  at  lang  rapier. — Noo,  for 
Gude's  sake,  run,  Sir,  and  save  the  puir  lad ;  till  I  shall  alarm 
the  haille  High  Street ;  and  bring  a  dozen  beadles,  and  bailies 
at  the  head  o'  them." 

Our  youth  ran  instantly  to  the  spot  pointed  out  by  Archy, 
and  found  two  persons  engaged  in  single  combat.  The  moon 
shone  clearly:  and  each  was  manoeuvering  to  get  his  anta 
gonist  round  to  face  the  moon.  It  was  no  play  of  idle  gillies, 
or  of  awkward  students  at  foils.  It  was  a  fierce  and  deadly 
combat.  A  tall  young  man  was  sustaining  an  unequal  fight 
with  a  a  strong  built  man,  who  seemed  to  be  in  military  un 
dress.  The  youth  was  evidently  wounded,  and  was  beginning 
to  stagger.  And  his  more  skilful  antagonist  was  watching 
his  time  to  give  the  closing  thrust.  He  was  in  the  act  of 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  11 

giving  a  flourish  with  his  long  rapier ;  for  he  had  thrown 
his  antagonist  off  his  guard, — and  was  aiming  a  murderous 
blow  at  his  head,  when  our  young  knight  dashed  his  cloak 
into  the  cavalier's  face,  and  entangled  his  sword.  The  unfor 
tunate  student,  at  this  moment  reeled,  and  fell  on  the  hrown 
swaird,  and  fainted. 

"My  certie!  young  man!" — cried  the  soldier, — "ye  hae 
saved  a  bonny  callan's  life.  That  scarlet  rag  o'  yours  has 
delayed  his  journey,  a  bittoc,  to  the  ither  warld.  I  was  just 
drawing  oot  a  steel  passport  to  enable  him  to  visit  the  canting 
Whigs,  by  Sathan's  fireside, — whase  wrangs,  as  he  ca's 
them,  he  was  seeking  to  redress  at  my  expense.  Wattie 
Hepburn,  my  bonny  lad !  is  not  to  be  trifled  with.  God  save 
King  Charles  II.  oor  glorious  King:  and  a  has  all  canting, 
whining,  psalm-singing  whigamores!" 

Our  young  knight  forgot  for  a  moment,  his  situation  and 
danger.  He  threw  his  cloak  over  his  shoulders,  and  snatch 
ing  the  sword  from  the  hand  of  his  bleeding  companion,  he 
took  the  lifeguard's  man  by  the  hand,  and  led  him  down  to 
wards  the  garden  wall,  while  he  whispered  to  him; — "  Mea 
sure  we  swords  here,  my  gallant!  The  son  of  a  Whig,  albeit 
himself  be  nae  Whig  as  yet,  wunna  permit  with  impunity, 
the  gude  auld  cause  o'  his  father  to  be  insulted :  and  his 
comrade  slauchtered  afore  his  een.  Nemo  me  impune  lacessit, 
ilka  Scotchman,  be  he  gentleman  or  simpleman,  can  read 
that, — Eh!  If  ye  be  the  same  I  tak  ye  to  be,  ye'll  need  nae 
midsman  to  interpret.  And  the  blude  o'  the  Hamilton,  I 
flatter  myself,  needs  nae  advantage  of  length  of  sword  with 
even  a  lifeguard's  man!" 

As  he  uttered  these  words  with  rapidity,  he  dashed  the  as 
tonished  soldier  from  him,  and  struck  him  on  the  cheek: 
and  then  with  a  flourish  of  his  sword,  he  threw  himself  into 
an  attitude  of  defence.  He  parried  his  antagonist's  thrusts 
with  coolness,  and  even  with  ease.  And  in  the  vigour  of 
freshness  and  youthful  excitement,  he  soon  began  to  gain  on 
the  exhausted  soldier:  and  succeeded  in  bringing  him  round, 
more  and  more,  so  as  to  make  the  moonlight  fall  fully  into 
his  face.  He  had  already  given  and  received  several  wounds. 
But  by  a  masterly  blow,  he  had  weakened  his  antagonist's 
sword  arm,  very  materially. — Wattie  Hepburn's  passion  rose, 
as  he  felt  himself  baffled.  But  as  his  passion  chafed  him,  he 


12  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

only  exposed  himself  the  more  to  the  aims  of  his  cool  and 
collected  antagonist.  Each  thrust  caused  him  to  retreat  a 
step — >while  he  watched  his  opportunity  in  his  turn,  to  spring 
forward  on  him ;  and  close  the  combat. 

Our  young  knight  perceived  that  his  manoeuvres  had  com 
pletely  succeeded.  He  had  brought  Hepburn  on  the  rough 
ground — of  which  he  had  not  been  aware — or  had  not 
noticed,  in  his  eagerness  to  prevent  the  student  from  getting 
betwixt  him  and  the  blaze  of  the  full-moon.  Hepburn  stumbled, 
and  fell  on  one  knee.  The  young  knight  instantly  closed  on 
him ;  seized  him  by  the  throat,  dashed  his  sword  out  of  his 
hand  with  his  left  foot ;  and  flourishing  his  steel  over  him, 
he  brought  its  point  to  his  throat.  "My  faith," — croaked  out 
the  exasperated,  and  half  strangled  lifeguard's  man — "ye' re 
a  cunning  ane,  and  a  clever."  He  had  hardly  uttered  these 
words — when  our  student — such  was  his  real  design, — 
rolled  him,  with  a  sudden  jerk,  heels  over  head,  down  the 
bank,  into  the  muddy  brook,  which  creeps  heavily  through 
the  college  garden ;  jumps  in  himself  and  souses  the  soldier 
over  head  and  ears,  before  he  could  collect  his  scattered 
senses  ;  and  he  left  him  snorting,  and  spouting  out  from  mouth, 
and  nose,  the  filthy  water ;  and  rehearsing  all  the  oaths  of  his 
royal  Master's  use  and  coinage ;  and  ejaculating  half  of  the 
names  of  the  saints  in  the  ghostly  Calendar.  He  remained  a  few 
moments,  with  his  huge  curly  head  sticking  out  of  the  muddy 
brook,  and  supported  by  his  brawny  arms  which  were  in  the 
mud  up  to  his  elbows,  while  he  stared  wildly  around  him.  He 
then  drew  his  huge  limbs  up  out  of  the  mud,  shook  himself 
like  a  great  New-Foundland  dog — while  his  teeth  chattered 
in  his  mouth,  like  a  pair  of  castanets.  And  finding  himself 
about  to  be  surrounded  by  more  attendants  than  he  deemed 
necessary — and  who,  moreover,  hailed  him  with  tremendous 
peals  of  laughter — he  hastily  threw  himself  over  the  garden 
wall,  and  disappeared, — relieving  the  paroxisms  of  his  wrath, 
the  meanwhile,  by  muttering  fierce  threats,  "  that  he  would 
annihilate  the  haile  College  of  Glasgow, — Principal,  pro* 
fessors,  students,  and  a' !" 

When  our  young  hero  returned  to  his  wounded  comrade, 
he  found  him  supported  by  some  of  his  companions,  who 
had,  at  the  alarm  of  Archy,  hastened  to  the  spot.  He  was 
exhausted  and  faint,  through  the  loss  of  blood.  He  had  re- 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  13 

ceived  several  wounds  about  the  head  and  arms.  They 
wiped  the  bloody  stains  from  his  face  ;  and  hastened  to  bind 
up  the  wounds,  in  his  head,  which  bled  the  most  profusely. 

"But,  comrades,"  cried  our  knight,  "We  must  hasten 
from  this  place.  I  am  confident  that  the  zeal  of  Archy  will 
bring  him  hither  with  a  strong  party.  Already  I  hear  distant 
voices, — and  they  are  approaching.  We  can  retreat  up  the 
Burn ;  and  take  the  party  on  the  left,  and  so  effect  our  escape. 
I  am  grieved,  and  mortified  at  this  night's  work.  But  this 
is  not  the  place  to  reproach ;  and  I  am  sure  it  is  not  the  time, 
when  our  friend  is  in  distress  !" 

They  took  up  their  wounded  companion:  and  retreating 
up  the  stream,  near  to  the  northern  wall ;  they  crossed  the 
brook,  and  took  a  station  behind  some  bushes,  and  thus  es 
caped  the  notice  of  the  officers  as  they  passed. 

They  could  hear  a  deep-toned  voice  lamenting  the  scandal 
ous  deterioration  of  the  public  morals.  "  We  nae  langer 
find,  I  trow,  the  soberness,  and  cautious  prudence,  and  wis 
dom,  and  moderation  of  the  ancient  Scottish  character  among 
us.  Even  these  walks,  and  academic  shades,  consecrated  to 
the  retirement  of  studious  youth,  are  broken  in  upon  by  the 
brawls  of  drunkards,  and  their  hellish  feuds.  The  sober 
collegians  are  transformed  into  wild  soldados,  and  cut 
throats!" 

"Yes,  gude  Baillie,"  answered  one  of  them — "ay  syn 
thae  black  guards,  waefully  misnamed  life  guards — faith ! 
they  hae  these  mony  years,  mounted  guard  at  death's  doors, 
— they  are,  in  fact,  the  guard  of  death,  the  king  o'  terrors ; — 
ever  syn  the  time  that  thae  craters  cam  in  amang  us — though 
they  profess  to  uphaud  king  and  law ;  my  certes !  they  labour 
to  put  doon  baith  the  aen  and  the  ither.  They  trample  a' 
law  and  justice  under  their  hoofs ;  and  the  thrapples  o'  them 
that  wad  lead  quiet  honest  lives,  they  cut  as  unceremoniously, 
as  I  wad  slice  ye  a  whang  aff  a  new  cheese,  or  the  saft  heart 
o1  a  kail  runt.*  The  faut  o'  a'  this  canna  fa'  on  the  Whigs. 
We  a'  ken  wha's  to  blame.  Their  example  and  mainers  are 
like  the  pestilential  blast  o'  the  burnin'  desert.  Our  very 
sanctuaries  are  profaned : — and  oor  fire-sides  invaded.  There 
is  neither  son  nor  dachter,  o'  oay  o'  us  safe  in  the  general 

*  These  lifeguards  of  Charles  II.  formed  the  first  nucleus  of  the  Jlrit 
ttanding  army  m  Britain ! 
VOL.  I. B. 


14  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

corruption  of  public  morals !  They're  waefu'  times !  and 
weel  I  wat,  the  sair  blast  is  only  beginning  to  blaw  dourly. 
An  unco  dark  cloud  hangs  ower  the  laun.  And  wha  may 
live  tae  see  the  clearin'  up  shower !  HE  that's  aboon  only 
kens !" 

The  youthful  party  hastened  out  of  the  garden :  and  they 
mended  their  steps  as  they  approached  the  college  buildings. 
And,  happily  for  them,  Archy  had  left  the  key  on  the  inside 
of  the  front  gate  of  the  College.  They  hurried  into  the 
street ;  and  conveyed  the  wounded  youth  to  his  lodgings ! 

"  My  dear  BURLEIGH  STEWART  !"  said  our  knight ;  after 
he  had  laid  his  comrade  on  his  couch ;  and  had  sent  for 
medical  aid — "  For  I  may  safely  name  you,  now  that  there 

is  no  ear  to  give  it  to  the  tortures  of  slander what  evil 

genius  could  possibly  hurry  a  man  of  your  habits  and  man 
ners  into  this  night's  work  of  blood  and  degradation  1  Was 
it  in  character,  that  the  son  of  your  father,  should,  like  some 
drunken  gillie,  brawl  and  fight  with  the  cut-throats  of  King 
Charles  ? — But  I  bethink  me— pardon  me,  dear  Burleigh  ! 
That  pang  of  sorrow  I  have  wrung  thoughtlessly  frae  thy 
heart ;  thou  art  not  in  a  situation" 

"  I  know  it,  Sir  William,  but  I  trust  I  shall  be  in  a  condition 
soon." — said  Burleigh, — "  perchance  to-morrow,  to  satisfy 
you,  and  all  my  friends,  touching  this  matter.  Meantime, 
comrade,  render  me  justice.  Let  me  have  the  credit  of  being 
innocent,  until  I  be  honourably  convicted. — You  must  now 
leave  me,  Sir  William, — to  my  surgeon,  who  enters,  I  see, 
to  dress  my  wounds.  A  plague  on  Wattie  Hepburn's  lang 
Toledo.  It  cuts  deep  into  a  tender  callan's  body. — But,  stay, 
comrade" — and  he  beckoned  Sir  William  back — "  I  shall 
need  your  services,  my  gallant,  to  send  an  express  to  the 
domicil  of  the  venerable  old  Baronet ;  and  hark  ye,  bring 
them  all." 

Sir  William  pressed  his  hand,  and  nodded  his  assurance 
that  he  would  see  all  this  done.  He  lingered  near  his  friend 
until  he  heard  the  surgeon  slowly,  and  oraculously  pro 
nounce  his  opinion — or  at  least  what  he  conjectured  to  be  his 
opinion- — clothed,  and  set  forth  in  a  semi-barbarous  latinity ; 
that  '  the  wounds  were  not,  in  their  puttings  on,  at  all  mortal.' 
He  then  joyfully  returned  Burleigh's  nod  and  smile:  and 
kissing  his  hand  to  him,  he  hastened  to  his  groom  to  send 
off  the  express  to  the  family  mansion. 


*  ' '  '«• ' 

'-   ••  •  "  • '   >: 

OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  15 

CHAPTER  II. 

"Sir,  'tis  my  occupation  to  be  plain : 
I  have  seen  better  faces  in  my  time 
Than  stands  on  any  shoulder  that  I  see 
Before  me,  at  this  instant." Shakspeare. 

On  the  evening  of  the  next  day  after  Burleigh  had  re 
ceived  his  wounds,  his  friend  Sir  William  was  sitting  by  his 
bedside.  Their  close  and  earnest  conversation  Avas  inter 
rupted  by  the  noise  of  feet  on  the  stairs.  The  attendant 
entered  and  whispered  certain  names  in  Burleigh's  ear, 
while  he  cast  a  smiling  glance  at  Sir  William. 

"  Show  them  up,  Bauldy ;  nae  ceremony ;  mine  heart  leaps 
to  embrace  them." 

In  a  few  moments,  two  elegant  females  glided  into  the 
room,  muffled  into  their  sprightly  travelling  attire  of  riding 
coats,  and  hoods,  of  grey.  They  threw  themselves  on  the 
neck  of  Burleigh,  forgetful  of  wounds  and  sickness.  And 
"  my  brother," — "  my  sister," — were  mutually  sobbed  out 
with  tenderest  emotions. 

A  venerable  figure  followed  up  in  the  rear.  His  visage 
exhibited  no  common  set  of  features.  There  was  a  calmness 
and  mildness  about  him ;  mixed  up  with  a  gentle  degree  of 
austerity.  A  stranger  could  detect  in  it  a  loftiness  cf  air, 
bordering  on  defiance.  His  eye  and  the  compression  of  the 
lips  seemed  to  say,  I  have  thought  and  decided  for  myself: 
and  I  am  not  to  be  dictated  to,  nor  contradicted. — His  figure 
was  of  that  square  and  vigorous  form,  in  which  we  see  the 
indications  of  a  mind  strongly  braced  up,  and  prepared  for 
every  event ;  and  a  constitution  vigorous,  and  capable  of 
bearing  toils,  privations,  and  deepest  sorrows. 

He  stood  erect  in  the  middle  of  the  floor,  with  his  eyes 
turned  on  Burleigh.  He  uttered  not  a  word :  he  offered  no 
salutations :  his  eyes  sent  forth  the  feelings  of.  his  soul  j 
which  laboured  under  a  burden  of  sorrow  and  anger.  A 
stranger  to  him  would  have  said  that  anger  was  uppermost. 
But  the  father's  eye  which  fell  on  the  eye  of  a  son,  told  that 
son  that  sorrow  prevailed  over  anger. 

"  And  did  my  son  receive  a  lesson  on  duelling  at  his 
father's  fireside,  within  a  sabbath  evening's  domestic  circle, 


THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

— when  assembled  e'en  at  a'  hazards,  frae  the  roving  banditti 
o1  the  Tories  ?     Is  the  house  o'  Carlsness  to  be  disgraced 

by" 

"  The  share  which  I  had  in  that  evening's  work,  when 
Burleigh  Stewart  was  wounded," — cried  Sir  William, 
eagerly  advancing  toward  the  Baron, — "  does  entitle  me 

to" 

"  And  am  I  to  call  you  the  second  o'  my  son,  in  that  wark 
o'  disgracefu'  folly  and  blude?" — said  the  Baron  fiercely 
interrupting  him. 

"  My  father  !"  said  Burleigh, — "  I  pray  you  to  hear  me. 
You  behold  before  you,  the  gallant  man  to  whose  courage 
I  owe  my  life.  But  for  him,  you  had  lost  the  youngest  son 
of  your  already  deeply  wounded  and  bleeding  family !" 

The  venerable  Baron  struggled  hard,  for  an  instant,  to 
hide  his  strong  emotions :  his  bosom  heaved ;  he  uttered 
not  a  word  in  reply ;  but  turning  to  Sir  William,  he  clasped 
him  in  his  arms,  and  uttered  in  a  suppressed  voice, — "  Ex 
cuse  that  harsh  word  which  fell  frae  a  father's  lips." 

"  He  has  promised  to  give  an  explanation  of  all  the  cir 
cumstances,  as  soon  as  the  state  of  his  health  will  permit 
him,"' — said  Sir  William,  very  tenderly. 

"  And  you  were  not  with  him  then," — cried  the  anxious 
Baronet. 

"  He  was  not  with  me,  venerable  father," — said  Burleigh, 
— "  He  was,  however,  the  last  man  on  the  field,  even  though 
one  of  Clavers'  right  hand  men  was  there.  And,  I  think, 
I  can  satisfy  you,  Sir,  that  my  honour  has  not  been  impaired." 
The  Baron  threw  on  him  a  keen  and  searching  glance. — 
"  Say,  rather,  thy  moral  principles,  young  man  ;" — cried  the 
Covenanter, — "  and  I  shall  probably  understand  thee.  Ho 
nour  is  a  word  so  often  in  the  mouth  of  fools,  that  it  is  now 
with  me  the  mere  cant  of  hypocrisy. — It  has  nae  meaning 
wi'  a  man  o'  sense,  when  it  drops  frae  certain  young  men's 
Ups. — Thy  former  principles,  whilk  were  painfully  instilled 
intil  thee,  by  thy  Tutor,  one  o'  the  best  o'  men,  whilk  thy 
father's  anxious  care  could  select ;  whilk  principles  thy 
father's  Sabbath  evening  exercises  should  hae  kept,  at  least, 
frae  rusting :--— were  thae  principles,  Sir,  violated  in  this 
hair-brained  piece  o'  wark?" 

"  I  shall  exculpate  myself  to  your  satisfaction,  my  venera 
ble  father,     Only  hae  patience ;  and  believe  me  sound  at 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  17 

heart,  and  in  principles,  (such  as  you,  honoured  Sir,  and  my 
Tutor  instilled  into  me,) — until  my  guilt  shall  show  other 
wise." 

The  affectionate  parent  paused,  and  cast  one  of  those 
searching  looks  over  his  son's  face,  which  usually,  in  his 
case,  superseded  the  small  talk,  too  much  practised  by  pa 
rents  in  the  family  circle.  He  saw  candour  and  truth  in  his 
son's  looks. — "  Yes,  I  will  believe  thee,  Burleigh," — cried 
he : — "  Thou  hast  ever  been  a  good  son  and  honourable,  to 
thy  poor  father. — Ah  !  me ;" — he  added  with  a  sigh ; — "  I 
hae  been  ane  oak  frae  whilk  many  a  lovely  branch  has  been 
cruelly  hacked  off  And  nae  wonder  it  is  that  my  heart 
bends  wi'  neverceasing  fondness  over  the  life  and  honour 
o'  those  who  hae  been  spared. — Sir  William  called  you  this 
young  man?" — Added  the  Baron  turning  round  to  Sir 
William. 

"  Yes,  my  father ;" — replied  Burleigh ; — "  This  is  Sir 
William  Hamilton,  of  Preston." 

"  Son  o1  mine  ancient  friend  and  frequent  guest !  I  am 
greatly  delighted  to  meet  thy  father's  son  by  the  bedside  o' 
ane  sae  dear  to  my  heart !"  And  he  gave  a  slight  wave  of 
his  hand  towards  the  bed  of  his  son,  as  he  said  this.  "  But 
I  see  my  sweet  bairne  Anna  Burleigh  is  all  impatience  to 
be  presented  to  you." 

Anna  Burleigh  had  thrown  back  her  hood,  and  from  the 
moment  that  her  brother  had  uttered  his  name  and  his  gallant 
deed,  she  had  been  bending  forward  and  fixing  a  deep  and 
searching  look  on  the  features,  and  person  of  the  gallant 
young  knight :  and  she  had,  unconscious  as  she  was  of  it, 
presented  before  his  sight,  and  that  of  another  young  noble 
man  who  stood  by  his  side, — Lord  Kardross, — one  of  the 
most  bewitching  faces,  and  sparkling  eyes,  which  ever  shot 
perils  into  a  young  man's  heart.  Her  deranged  head-gear  did 
not  destroy  the  effect.  Over  her  brow,  finely  shaped,  and 
polished  as  the  alabaster,  her  dark  and  glossy  hair  fell  in  a 
profusion  of  silken  curls.  Her  black  eyes,  naturally  laugh 
ing  and  playful,  were  softened  into  an  inexpressible  tender 
ness,  and  a  soft  and  chastened  air  cf  melancholy.  She  was 
clothed  in  weeds  of  deep  mourning,  for  a  sister  who  had 
fallen  a  victim  in  the  troubles  of  the  day,  which  pressed  sore 
on  the  house  of  Carlsness.  And  she  stood  up  before  the 
young  noblemen  in  all  the  enchanting  witchery  cf  a  beauti- 

B* 


18  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

ful  maiden  of  nineteen.  She  blushed  deeply  when  awak 
ened  out  of  her  reverie  by  this  abrupt  sally  of  her  father. 
When  presented  to  Sir  William  she  held  out  her  white 
hand,  which  he  raised  to  his  lips,  and  kissed,  with  affection 
ate  respect,  as  the  rich  and  musical  tones  of  her  voice  uttered 
a  hurried  congratulation,  and  many  blessings  on  her  bro 
ther's  deliverer.  The  good  knight  relieved  his  daughter's 
embarrassment  by  presenting  her  sister; — "And  this  is 
Mary  Stewart.  Their  mother  is  a  saint  in  heaven:" — he 
added,  with  tender  emotions, — "  And  the  man  cf  blood  has 
chased  from  their  country,  my  Jamie  and  my  David !  One, 
— brave  as  good — and  good  as  brave,  he  has  given  to  the 

sword !     And  another my  bony  sweet  Clara" he 

paused  and  uttered  a  heavy  sigh, — then  added  in  a  voice 
choaked  with  grief — "  My  sweet  Clara  died  of  a  broken 
heart,  when  the  martyred  Me  Kail  died  on  the  scaffold.  But, 
my  bairns,  I  hae  said  it,, and  will  ne'er  cease  to  say  it.  His 
will  be  done."  He  turned  himself  to  the  window  and  sob 
bed,  as  he  dried  the  teardrops  from  his  cheeks,  and  added 
mournfully — "  Not  lost !— They  are  only  gone  before !  We 
meet  in  heaven!" 

"Mary  Stewart!"  said  Burleigh  with  tenderness, — "Sir 
William  salutes  thee." 

Mary  turned  round  to  him  in  the  midst  of  her  grief.  She 
was  a  tall  and  beautiful  maiden  of  seventeen  years.  Her 
hair  was  of  a  bright  auburn,  approaching  to  a  golden  colour, 
and  dressed  up  in  perfect  rural  simplicity.  A  green  snood 
was  bound  around  her  lovely  temples,  and  over  her  hair 
smoothed  back  from  her  brow.  It  was  a  lever's  token  as 
was  indicated  by  the  initials  which  sparkled  in  brilliant  and 
pearlins,  amidst  the  profusion  of  her  golden  locks.  Her 
nose,  and  blooming  cheeks,  and  mouth  were  formed  on  the 
finest  specimen  of  the  Grecian  model.  Her  complexion  was 
of  the  purest  red  and  white:  and  in  her  comely  weeds  she 
sparkled  like  the  diamond  set  on  black  velvet.  Her  dark 
blue  eyes  were  filled  with  tears  at  the  moment  she  smiled  on 
Sir  William,  and  blessed  her  brother's  deliverer. 

"  My  lovely  maiden !"  said  Sir  William  in  a  whisper, 
and  with  a  significant  glance, — "although  this  be  the  first 
time  I  ever  stood  before  thee,  I  am,  nailheless,  nae  stranger 
to  thy  beauty  and  virtues.  My  younger  brother" 

A  sudden  glance  from  the  maiden  told  him  that  he  need 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  19 

say  no  more:  and  she  presented  her  fair  cheek  to  him  to  be 
kissed. 

Mary,  though  younger  than  her  sister,  had  much  less  of 
the  retiring  maidenly  bashfulness  than  she. — She  felt  less 
embarrassment :  she  courted  conversation ;  she  met  and  in 
vited  every  advance  to  it ;  as  well  with  the  gay  as  the 
severe;  with  the  blooming  young  man;  as  with  the  old; 
with  the  man  of  fashion,  as  with  the  divine.  The  nice  ob 
server  of  the  gentle  maiden,  could,  at  once,  say  that  the 
beautiful  Mary  Stewart's  heart  had  been  given  away;  and 
her  manner  said, — given  to  one  who  merited  it.  Hence  she 
entered  into  an  easy  and  unreserved  conversation  with  Lord 
Kardross  and  Sir  William. 

It  was  not  so  with  her  sister.  Anna  Burleigh  had  not 
yet  seen  the  man  who  could  captivate  her  heart, — unless 
we  may  except  the  noble  young  Lord  who,  for  the  first  time, 
this  morning,  had  bowed  himself  before  her.  She  was,  like 
her  sister,  an  accomplished  maiden.  The  Baronet  wanted 
not  the  means,  nor  the  heart  to  place  them  where  their  edu-  „ 
cation  should  receive  that  solidity  and  polish,  which  should 
qualify  them  to  move  and  shine,  in  any  circle.  But  the  sis 
ters  were  the  children  of  a  Covenanter  and  a  Whig.  There 
was  a  sacred  respect  had  to  the  Christian  religion  within  the 
circles  in  which  they  were  reared  and  educated. — Themarir 
ners  and  forms  of  education  within  a  Whig's  family  and 
that  of  a  Tory,  in  those  days,  were  as  widely  different  as  was 
their  respective  political  creed.  The  Whig  made  it  his 
particular  study  faithfully  to  combine  the  solid  and  shining 
parts  of  male  and  female  education  with  an  enlightened 
knowledge  of  Christianity.  The  vivacity  of  the  young 
mind  was  tempered  with  a  meek  and  Christian  sensibility  : 
it  was  taught  to  abhor  an  intolerant  and  persecuting  spirit: 
to  hasten  to  the  relief  of  the  poor  and  the  oppressed :  to  cheer 
up  the  mind  when  under  the  sore  pressure  of  tyranny,  with 
the  pure  and  exhilarating  joys  of  our  holy  religion.  They 
sought  the  reality,  not  the  affectation,  of  a  pure  and  simple 
devotion. J>  This,  they  well  knew,  operated  like  a  charm  on 
the  youthful  mind.  It  diffuses  over  it  a  uniform  serenity  and 
cheerfulness :  it  invigorates,  and  braces  it  up  to  deeds  of 
noble  enterprize ;  it  enables  it  not  merely  to  sustain,  but  to 
bear  with  a  placid  temper,  every  suffering  in  their  lot :  and 
it  fails  not  to  throw  the  light  of  joy  and  loveliness  over  all 


THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

mental  accomplishments  in  the  still  scenes  of  domestic  life. 
Enlightened  and  cheerful  piety  suffers  not  the  youthful  exu 
berance  of  spirits  to  run  to  waste.  It  teaches  them  to  flow  in  an 
even  and  steady  stream.  It  neither  permits  the  young  mind  to 
evaporate  in  the  idle  flash  of  earthly  vanity :  nor  does  it  chill 
them  with  vexatious  disappointments.  It  lights  up  a  pure 
flame,  which  throws  a  steady  and  unfading  lustre  over  the 
whole  inner  and  outer  man :  and  sends  joy  unutterable,  over 
the  whole  circle  which  they  bless  with  their  presence. 

This  form  of  religious  education  characterised  the  entire 
circle  of  the  Whigs  of  Scotland.  In  the  humblest  cottages, 
and  where  every  outward  polish  was  an  utter  stranger,  the 
practical  influence  of  religion  was  felt,  and  seen  in  its  fruits. 
It  was  the  business  and  the  enjoyment  of  life,  to  fan  this 
sacred  flame,  and  to  keep  their  spirits  bright  from  the  world's 
rust. 

And  this  combining  of  a  polished  education,  in  the  higher 
ranks,  with  a  simple  and  pure  devotion,  was  steadily  ad 
hered  to  by  the  Whigs  in  face  of  all  opposition  and  ridicule. 
Nothing  could  shake  them  from  their  holy  purpose.  And 
they  hurled  back  the  ridicule,  and  imputation  of  cant,  by  the 
irresistible  appeal  to  the  uneducated  beauties  in  the  Tory 
ranks,  at  the  card  table,  in  the  ball,  or  the  masquerade, — fit 
for  the  companionship  of  fops  and  witlings  only.  "  They 
open  not  their  beautiful  lips," — cried  they, — li  but  to  betray, 
before  all  men  of  sense,  their  ignorance  and  want  of  princi 
ple;  to  lisp  slander,  and  descant  on  trifles  !" 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  by  a  process,  the  most  natural 
imaginable,  the  existence,  and  the  very  appearance  of  sober 
piety  and  religion,  with  all  its  moral  beauty  and  loveliness, 
were  banished  from  almost  every  circle  of  the  court  party, 
the  Tories  in  those  days. 

King  Charles  II.  even  when  on  his  knees  in  the  act  of 
taking  the  coronation  oath,  and  the  oath  of  the  National  Co 
venant,  at  Scoon,  in  the  midst  of  the  nobles  of  the  land,  and 
the  most  distinguished  of  his  loyal  and  learned  divines, — 
was  scarcely  able  to  restrain  his  laughter,  at  the  religious 
ceremonies  of  the  day.  His  wild  laughing  eye,  and  the 
flush  sent  over  his  swarthy  countenance,  had  well  nigh  be 
trayed  him.  The  very  name  of  religion,  preached  in  no 
scanty  measure,  it  is  true, — but  nevertheless  soberly  and 
faithfully,  before  him, — was  enough  to  throw  one  of  his 


«» 

OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  21 

principles,  and  laughter-loving  constitution,  absolutely  into 
an  ague  fit.  The  name  and  sight  of  the  "  Haly  Beuk," 
sent  the  cold  chills  into  his  heart.  He  hated  and  loathed 
the  Christian  religion :  he  hated  and  loathed  the  whole  of  its 
ministry.  The  imposing  and  theatrical  pomp  of  the  Mass 
presented  the  least  intolerable  idea  of  religion  to  his  soul. 
And  in  the  absence  of  that,  which  the  tyrant,  bold  and  un 
blushing  as  he  was,  did  not  dare  yet  openly  to  confess, — that 
model  of  a  harsh  and  ferocious  prelatism  devised  by  Laud 
and  Sharpe,  was  adapted  to  his  taste  and  principles. 

Moreover,  in  his  heart  there  burned  a  dark  fire  of  an 
unsubduable  licentiousness,  which  consumed  every  tender 
feeling  and  emotion  of  religion.      The  groans  of  his  sub 
jects,  the  clanking  of  their  chains,  the  intolerable  misery 
inflicted  on  thousands  of  once  happy  families :  the  wailings 
of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland,  the  torrents  of  human  blood  shed 
by  legalized  murderers  over  the  land  ; — no, — nothing  could 
awaken  him  to  his  duty, — nor  quench  this  dark  fire  which 
burned  in  his  bosom, — nor  drive  him  and  his  priest-ridden 
minions,  the  Clarendons,  the  Lauderdales  and  M'Kenzies, 
and  Claverses  of  the  day,  from  their  fell  purposes.     They 
had  conceived  the  horrid  purpose  of  dragooning  a  nation 
into  another  religion,  and  then  to  extinguish  in  the  deeds  of 
violence,  all  practical  Christianity.      And  like  the  King  of 
Israel,  they  would  have  languished  in  disappointment;  and 
died  of  despair,  had  they  not  found  an  opportunity  laid  open 
to  them  by  a  Jezebel,  of  revelling  in  tyranny,  and  shedding 
the  blood  of  the  subjects, — peaceful  and  even  loyal  as  they 
were,  until  unheard-of  tyranny  drove  them  to  despair,  to 
madness,  and  to  arms ! 

Now  the  "  Cavaliers"  of  England,  and  the  "Malignants" 
of  Scotland  flattered  and  applauded,  and  bowed  obsequi 
ously  before  the  tyrants.  But  the  "  Puritans"  of  England, 
and  the  "  Whigs"  of  Scotland  opposed  all  the  mightiness  of 
their  power  to  the  inroads  of  the  enemies  of  God  and  their 
country.  But  the  former  were  as  much  opposed  to  thu 
latter  in  piety  and  morals,  as  they  were  pitted  against  each 
other  in  politics.  Cavalier  and  Malignant  became  unhap 
pily  synonymous  with  royalty  and  irreligion !  the  Puritan 
and  Whig  were  devoted  to  the  pure  Christian  religion,  and 
they  drew  their  battle  blades  against  a  mad  and  frantic 
tyranny.  They  were  loyal  to  their  country  and  God ;  and 


22  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

to  a  king  that  rules  in  righteousness,  and  by  the  laws  of 
the  Kingdom. 

Hence  it  was  very  natural  for  the  tyrant,  and  his  para 
sites,  to  associate  in  their  minds,  the  idea  of  a  Christian,  with 
that  of  an  enemy  to  his  throne.  And,  hence,  to  mingle  in 
devotions,  to  utter  the  venerated  language  of  Christian  piety, 
to  sing  psalms,  to  speak  and  preach  against  tyranny,  to 
educate  the  youth  in  these  principles,  dear  to  every  genuine 
Scottishman's  heart, — were  deemed  crimes  sufficient  to  draw 
down  the  heaviest  wrath  of  the  tyrant,  and  Tory  partizans ! 

The  conversation  was  interrupted  by  the  attendant  an 
nouncing  supper. 

"A  student's  supper,  I  engage  it," — cried  Anna  Bur- 
leigh,  with  an  arch  glance  at  her  brother;  as  she  followed 
the  servant ; — "  it  is  time  for  me  to  be  framing  an  apology." 

"  Not  to  me,  surely,  who  am  also  a  student,"  cried  Sir 
William,  as  he  led  in  Mary  Stewart. 

"  It  is  no  part  of  my  whig  creed," — said  the  Baronet, 
willing  to  see  his  children  and  friends  happy  and  cheerful ; 
— "to  believe  that  Divine  Providence  designs  all  good 
things  for  ungodly  men  and  Tories.  We  shall  find,  at 
least,  a  stoup  o'  gude  claret." 

"  He  is  a  man  of  principle," — said  Burleigh  to  himself, 
as  they  shut  the  door  behind  them : — "  and  he  has  ever  car 
ried  his  principles  out  honestly  into  active  life.  My  father's 
fireside  scenes,  and  the  welcome  which  he  gave  to  stran 
gers  have  shewn  the  tenets  of  the  whig  school  in  this  parti 
cular  item.  I  hae  perceived,  hithertil,  no  great  ground  o' 
quarrel  between  the  Whig  and  Tory  on  the  score  o'  Crater 
comforts!  What  say  you  to  that,  Archy?"  added  he,  ad 
dressing  himself  to  the  Janitor,  who  had  slipt  quietly  into 
the  room,  and  was  listening  as  if  he  expected  to  hear  the 
death-rattles  in  Burleigh's  throat. 

"  Na,  na!"  cried  Archy,  overjoyed  to  see  him  so  well. 
"  There's  nae  kind  o'  difference  on  that  score,  preceesly. 
There  may  be,  and  is  a  wee  difference  as  to  the  season  and 
the  modus,  as  oor  learned  ones  wad  say.  They'll  no  just 
eat  yer  plumpuddings  on  a  christmas  day,  for  fear  o'  being 
jaloosed  o'  keeping  sacred  and  holy  sic  a  day,  ye  ken.  Nor 
tak  they  a  royatous  dinner  of  a  Sabbath, — or  Sunday,  as 
yer  pockpuddin  Englishers  ca't.  But,  my  certie !  if  they 
oinna  like  their  gausy  beef  and  puddins,  o'  a  richt  kind,  in 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  23 

their  proper  season, — then  I'm  no  Archy  Cawmill.  And 
then  as  to  the  modus,  ye  see,  the  Whig's  table  will  be  gar 
nished  oot  wi'  the  gude  things  o'  this  life,  and  the  best  o' 
them.  But  then,  he  puts  his  knife  to  his  throat :  he's  mais- 
ter  o'  his  appetite:  he  fa's  na  on  like  yer  dog.  He  mingles 
a'  things  wi'  religion,  the  grand  seasoner.  He  wull  lift 
baith  his  hauns,  and  he  wull  pronounce  ye  a  blessing  lang 
eneugh  foraneo'  the  Indulged  ministers'  forenoon  prayers! 
And  he  wull  scrupulously  return  thanks  in  the  same 
gaite. — Noo,  unless  the  Tories  be  slandered  shamously, 
not  e'en  their  bishops  du  this.  And  by  some  cantripe  or 
ither,  their  prayers  and  graces  hae  ay  grown  shorter  and 
shorter  syn  the  King  cam  hame ;  and  latterly  they  hae 
vanished  wi'  a  hasty  consumption. — Then  the  Whig  stints 
himsel.  The  limit  he  sets  to  his  indulgences  he  winna 
transgress.  Did  any  o'  us  e'er  hear  o'  a  gluttonous  Whig  1 
A  drunken  Whig  ?  A  swearing  Whig  ?  But  yer  Tory  is  a 
gourmand  by  taste  and  profession.  You  may  limit  him  in 
his  liberties :  you  may  e'en  strip  him  o'  liberty  and  reli 
gion, — that  is,  supposing,  for  the  sake  o'  oor  argument,  that 
the  crater  e'er  had  ony  religion  to  be  stript  aff  him, — for  a 
man  canna  tak  the  breeks  aff  a  heelan  man  ! — Why  he  wad 
utter  ye  nae  complaint,  providin'  ye  wad  allow  him  ane 
unlimited  profusion  o'  gude  vivers,  divine  claret,  and  bois 
terous  merriment!  But  were  yer  absolute  supremacy  and 
divine-right  men  to  trench  upon  this,  and  e'en  gie  them  a' 
their  liberties  and  religion  to  the  fullest,  they  wad  curse  his 
maist  sacred  majesty  to  his  face  ; — as  the  deel  aince  observ 
ed  to  his  betters ! 

"  Noo,  in  thae  waesome  times,  I'm  meikle  grieved  to  see 
monya  bonny  callan,  no  to  speak  o' bearded  men,  suffering, 
when  they  micht  contrive  to  cheat  the  Tory  oot  o'  his  prey, 
and  sae  escape. — Noo,  Maister  Burleigh," — added  Archy 
as  he  drew  up  near  his  bed  and  assumed  a  grave  and  know 
ing  look, — "  could  I  gain  the  ears  o'  the  Whigs  as  their 
adviser  and  advocate, — and  if  I  could  prevail  on  them  just 
to  tak  ae  salutary  advice  whilk  I  could  gie, — that  is,  sup 
posing  a  Whig, — wi'  reverence  be  it  spoken, — could  be 
induced,  for  a  time,  as  it  were,  to  jouk  and  let  the  jaw  gae 
ower, — and  just  quiet  the  scruples  o'  conscience,  and  conceal 
his  religion  and  politics, — I  wad  na  hae  them  to  deny 
them  ootricht, — but  just  dissemble,  as  it  were,  a  wee  while ; 


24  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND! 

and  tak  on  wi'  the  noisy  Tories,  and  learn  a  wee  touch  o' 
their  ways ;  and  drink  their  stoup  o'  claret,  and  throw  aff 
their  tass  o'  brandy  wi'  yer  roaring  splorers  in  the  houffs ; 
and  sing  yer  catch  o'  some  indecent  sang ;  and  hiccup 
blasphemy,  and  curse  a'  psalm-singers ;  and  let  oot  in  high 
style  yer  King  Charlie  oaths  noo  and  then, — Why,  my 
Maister,  I  reddye  weel,  no  ane  o'  them  micht  e'er  be  called 
to  glorify  HIM  in  the  Grass-market  o'  Embroch;  or  the 
Gallows-field  o'  Glasgow !  But  if  they  wunna  consent  to 
dissemble,  or  gie  up  their  religion  and  liberty, — they  maun 
e'en  suffer. — There's  nae  remedy  !" 

"  Glorious  logic  !  Archy,"  cried  Burleigh. — "  And  is  it 
a  matter  o'  difficulty  wi'  thee  to  evolve  the  conclusion  ?" 

"  Conclusion  !  Humph," — ejaculated  Archy,  as  if  he 
viewed  the  case  in  despair.  "  We  canna  get  a  Scotch 
Whig  e'en  to  eat  plum-pudding  on  Christmas!  And  on 
what  ither  point  wad  they  yield?  In  troth,  I  micht  suner 
set  Tintoc  hill  on  the  tap  o'  Benlomond,  as  mak  a  Scotch 
Whig  swerve,  or  e'en  dissemble. — But,  I'm  forgetting  my- 
sel',  wi'  my  nonsense; — excuse  me,  Master  Burleigh;  I 
came  frae  his  Reverence  the  Principal,  (God  bless  him,)  to 
tell  you,  that  he,  and  twa  or  three  others  o'  the  Faculty  will 
come  ower  bye  to  visit  you  to-morrow  forenoon." 

"  I  shall  be  honoured  and  gratified," — said  Burleigh. 
"  He  has  been  grieved  to  hear  an  unco  ill  report  o'  you  ;" 
continued  the  loquacious  Archy  ;  "  but  I  hae  been  doing  my 
best  to  put  as  passable  a  face  on  the  business,  as  I  can." 

"  Yes,  Archy," — cried  Burleigh, — "  and  before  you  do 
yourself  know  any  thing  about  the  business.  I  dare  say 
you  succeeded,  to  admiration,  in  illuminating  the  Principal 
on  this  subject.  We  shall  live,  I  dare  say,  Archy,  to  giva 
you  joy  as  councillor  for  the  Whigs.  Adieu,  and  carry  my 
dutiful  obedience  to  the  gude  Principal,  and  his  learned 
coadjutors." 

Archy,  with  the  freedom,  for  which  a  kind  heart  made 
ample  atonement,  shook  Burleigh  by  the  hand ;  and  ex 
pressed  his  immeasurable  felicity  at  seeing  him  so  well ; — 
"  For,  surely,  I  thocht  o'  naething  short  o'  seeing  you 
streekit  oot  i'  the  last  gasp  o'  mortal  agony :  yer  een  stelled 
in  yer  head ;  the  death  rattle  in  yer  throat, — an'  a'  ready 
for  the  extreme,  unction, — gif  ye  had  been  a  Roman, — gude 
forgie  me  for  e'en  conceivin'  it  possible  that  the  son  o'  yer 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  25 

feither  could  be  sic  a  thing !  Fare  ye  weel,  my  bonny  lad! 
I'll  no  fail  to  report  you  favourably  to  the  Principal," — 
continued  Archy  with  a  condescension  ludicrously  grave, — 
4i  and  I  sail  assure  him,  that  yer  principles  are,  after  a,5 
haile  at  heart;  and  that  the  affair  is  na  half  sae  heinous, 
on  the  whole,  as  thae  glaikit  craters, — the  Tories,  wha 
want  ay  to  hae  a  hair  in  oor  neck, — I'm  no  saying  wha  they 
are, — hae  officiously  reported  the  thing  till  him!" 


CHAPTER  III. 

"  St.    Why  what  a  monstrous  fellow  thou  art,  thus  to  rail  on  me. 

"  Kent.  Draw,  you  rogue !  for  though  it  be  night,  the  moon  shine*. 
Til  make  a  sop  of  the  moonshine  of  you.  Draw,  you  cullionly  barber- 
monger,  draw !" — SHAKSPEARE'S  LEAR. 

NEXT  morning,  at  the  hour  appointed,  Sir  William  hast 
ened  to  the  apartments  of  his  friend,  without  having  ar 
ranged  his  thoughts — or  having  even  made  the  least  pre 
paration  to  meet  the  approaching  investigation  by  the  Prin 
cipal. 

While  the  college  bell  was  yet  ringing  the  hour,  the 
Principal,  and  several  of  the  professors,  entered  Burleigh's 
sitting-room — for  they  knew  the  value  of  time,  and  the 
promise  to  keep  an  engagement,  was  with  them  sacred. 

Principal was  a  person  of  a  very  fine  figure.  He 

was  tall  and  erect ;  and  unusually  grave  in  his  mariners. 
His  hair  was  white — but  not  by  age.  The  sorrows  of  the 
times — and  he  had  received  his  share  of  them — had 
bleached  it  whiter  than  the  hand  of  time  could  have  done 
it.  His  complexion  was  fresh :  his  brow  high  and  finely 
polished :  with  the  exception  of  a  few  wrinkles  on  the  lower 
and  central  parts  thereof.  His  hair  was  neatly  parted  on 
the  forehead;  and  fell  in  curls,  over  his  ears,  and  on  hi« 
shoulders.  His  beard,  after  the  fashion  of  the  senior  min 
isters  of  that  day,  he  wore  about  five  inches  long;  and  it 
terminated  in  a  point  in  front.  His  eyebrows  still  retained 
their  jet  black  colour:  His  eyes  were  dark  ;  and  they  had 
an  expression  of  severity  in  them.  His  coat  arid  doublet 

VOL.  I. — C. 


26  THB  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

were  of  black  velvet;  the  former  having  the  usual  liberal 
allowance  of  skirt  as  to  fulness — but  short;  with  large 
flaps  over  his  outside  pockets,  and  a  row  of  buttons  trans 
versely,  of  no  small  dimensions — like  those  on  the  single 
row  in  front:  and  the  latter — the  doublet,  having  pockets 
and  flaps  nearly  as  liberal,  rounded  off  at  each  side,  and 
extending  down  over  the  small  clothes  almost  to  the  knees. 
The  latter  mentioned  item  of  his  dress,  of  the  same  mate 
rials,  barely  reached  the  cap  of  the  knee ;  had  a  long  row 
of  buttons  extending  up  half  way  from  the  knee  to  the  loin : 
and  the  lower  extremity  of  this  side  opening  was  fixed  by 
a  knot  of  black  ribbons,  shaped  out  in  the  f jrm  of  a  large 
moss  rose.  His  silk  stockings  came  up  over  his  knee,  when 
he  sat — his  shoes  came  up  over  his  ankles,  and  each  of 
them  had  a  graceful  bunch  of  black  silk  ribbon,  as  large 
as  those  at  his  knees. 

He  walked  forward,  bowing  and  smiling  with  a  paternal 
air,  into  the  midst  of  the  circle ;  and,  then,  he  saluted  each 
with  a  smile  of  courteousness,  and  unaffected  good  will.  He 
embraced  the  Baronet  with  great  affection : — and  the  re 
membrance  of  their  mutual  sufferings  rose  in  their  minds, 
and  sent  a  tear  at  the  same  instant,  over  their  cheeks.  He 
laid  his  hand  in  a  paternal  manner  on  the  head  of  each  of 
the  Baronet's  beautiful  daughters,  as  they  were  presented  to 
him,  and  kissed  them  as  he  pronounced  his  blessing  on  them. 
And  while  the  other  professors  were  paying  their  services 
to  the  company,  he  walked  up  to  the  bedside  of  Burleigh, 
and  sat  down  beside  him. — And  taking  Burleigh's  hand  in 
his  right  hand,  and  Sir  William's  in  the  other — he  fixed  on 
them  a  long  and  silent  look.  He  uttered  no  reproach.  Sud 
denly  dropping  their  hands,  he  whispered  to  them — "  I  for 
got  me, — young  men  !  your  hands  are  stained  with  blood." 
— As  he  left  them,  and  seated  himself  by  the  Baronet, 
several  of  the  professors  placed  themselves  in  a  circle  by 
the  bedside  of  Burleigh ;  and  kindly  inquired  if  his  wounds 
were  nearly  healed.  "  They  are  I  may  say — well,"  whis 
pered  Burleigh — "  at  least  they  give  me  no  paiA.  The 
wound  is  mainly  in  my  heart."  "  In  your  heart,  Sir" — ex 
claimed  the  mathematical  professor,  taking  him  in  a  literal 
sense.  "  Oh  !  no — I  do  not  mean  that,"  said  Burleigh,  re 
plying  to  his  meaning,  rather  than  to  his  words.  "  There 


OR,  THE  LAST  OT  THE  STUARTS.  27 

are  two  men, — my  two  parents, — the  Baronet  and  the  Princi 
pal — to  have  been  the  cause  of  wounding  their  feelings,  has 
been  to  me  the  most  exquisitely  painful  thing  in  the  whole  of 
this  unhappy  business." 

The  mathematical  professor  first  cast  a  quizzical  glance 
over  our  student's  face,  then  looking  up  to  the  ceiling,  he  ex 
claimed — "Pho!  pshaw,  ha!  ha!  ha!"  Then  pausing;  he 
gathered  up  his  mouth  into  a  solid  circle — as  the  professor 
himself  would  have  called  it :  and  at  the  same  time  raising 
his  two  dark  heavy  eye-brows,  halfway  up  to  the  extremity 
of  his  nicely  smothed  back  hair,  he  began — "  Egad !  my  gaucy 
young  fellow,  had  you  been  among  the  Tories — as  ye  hap 
pen  to  be  among  the  Whigs ; — They  would  not  hae  deeved 
yer  lugs,  nor  "wounded"  yer  bit  chicken's  "heart,"  wi'  a' 
this  fuss  about  a  trifle  o'  a  duel !  No  lad  o'  spirit  and  mettle 
can  pretend  to  get  along  in  real  active  life, — I  mean  your  stir 
ring  life — without  a  duel  or  two.  Youth  maun  oot — my  hear 
ties  ! — Youth  maun  oot,  Sir.  Let  your  Whigs  talk  as  they 
e'en  please." 

The  other  professors  smiled.  The  mathematician  was 
an  eccentric  character :  and  a  kind  of  privileged  man  with 
them.  And  they  seldom  threw  away  an  argument  upon 
him.  It  was  not  so  with  the  good  Principal.  He  had 
caught  the  last  expression,  and  began  to  suspect  the  ortho 
doxy  of  his  condolence  offered  to  Burleigh. 

"  You  are  always  orthodox  on  Euclid,  and  Diophantes, 
my  good  Professor,"  said  he. — "  But  I  fear,  that,  like  other 
sage  Professors,  whose  heads  are  store-houses  of  classical 
and  mathematical  lore — but  sadly  bankrupt — and  beggared, 
touching  religious  science, — you  have  not  yet  learned  the 
first  definitions,  and  axioms  of  theology." 

The  Professor  bit  his  lip  and  sat  down ;  casting  at  the 
same  time,  however,  a  respectful  look  on  the  Principal — 
though  it  was  very  evident  that  the  extremities  of  his  lips 
began  to  curl  up ;  and  the  general  expression  of  his  counte 
nance  said  that  he  was  as  willing  to  receive  a  good-natured 
stroke  of  wit,  as  ever  he  was  to  give  one. 

"  I  pray  you  worthy  Professor,  let  us  hear  your  theorem — 
it  cannot  be  a  problem — I  conjecture ; — and  then  your  for 
mal  demonstration" — continued  the  Principal.  "  Suppose 
now  I  announce  your  theorem,  on  this  same  subject  of  duel- 


28  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  '. 

ling — in  your  own  way,  thus :  Duelling  is  necessary  by  tht 
laws  of  honour  :  and  defensible  by  the  laws  of  God  and  o/ 
men" 

"  In  troth,  Mr.  Principal,  do  you  put  the  enunciation  in 
strong  set  phrase,  and  in  unco  preceese  terms.  The  fact, 
however,  is,  as  I  rather  suspect — our  young  raw  blades,  and 
your  dashing  hairum  scairum  soldados,  neer  hae  fashed 
their  noddles  about  the  laws  o'  God  in  this  kind  o'  business. 
They  leave  out  the  haile  o'  the  last  clause  of  your  announce 
ment.  The  law  of  honour  is  the  only  law  in  this  work." 

"I  crave  your  pardon,  Mr.  Professor.  You  cannot 
claim,  for  them,  any  reason  to  do  so.  A  man's  life  aimed  at 
in  a  duel,  is  public  property.  None  of  us  live  unto  ourselves, 
and  none  of  us  die  unto  ourselves;  whether  we  live,  we  live 
unto  the  Lord ;  or  whether  we  die,  we  die  unto  the  Lord: 
whether  we  live  or  die,  therefore,  we  are  the  Lord's.  A 
man's  life  is  the  property  of  God ;  and  in  another  sense  it  is 
the  property  of  the  State.  This  lemma  is  not  to  be  questioned 
— far  less  denied.  You  must  deny  the  first  dictate  of  rea 
son  and  common  sense :  and  especially  Holy  Writ,  if  you 
deny  this.  It  is  as  strongly  based  in  truth  as  any  propo 
sition  in  Euclid." 

The  Professor,  wiping  his  brow,  nodded  his  assent :  he 
"  could  not  see  how  that  could  be  evaded  by  any  person  that 
did  reason  on  the  subject."  He  laid  a  full  emphasis  on 
reason. 

"  Reason  on  it" — said  the  Principal,  gravely  repeating 
the  emphatic  words  of  the  Professor.  "  Why,  my  most 
worthy  friend,  if  any  human  being  can  be  found  in  civilized 
or  uncivilized  society,  \vho  enters  on  any  business  of  such 
vast  moment,  that  his  life  and  death, — his  present  and  eternal 
happiness,  are  necessarily  involved  in  it — and  yet  does  not 
pause  to  reason  on  it ;  I  should  deem  it  an  insult  on  common 
sense  to  call  him  a  rational  being !  He  must  be  an  irra 
tional — a  brute !  And  your  duellers,  who  never  reason,  I 
would  set  down  by  the  side  of  a  brace  of  mad  bull*dogs, — 
battling  it  out  in  their  bloody  kennel, — or  over  their  knawed 
bones  on  the  dung-hill !" 

"  But  supposing  we  meet  with  men  who  advocate  duel 
ling,  and  who  venture  to  reason  on  the  subject ;  I  would  shape 
an  argument  of  this  kind  for  their  candour.  If  you  do 
advocate  duelling,  as  a  thing  defensible,  you  must,  first  dis- 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STTTARTS.  29 

pose  of,  in  some  satisfactory  manner,  these  principles  which 
we  lay  down  before  you  ;  and  which  we  judge  sufficient  to 
lay  an  impassable  barrier  in  your  way.  A  human  being, 
owing  allegiance  to  his  God,  and  also  the  State,  has  most 
assuredly,  no  private  right  to  take  away  that  which  is  not 
his  own ; — which  is  not  private  property ;  but  which  is,  in 
fact,  the  property  of  God,  and  of  the  State ;  and  which  can 
never  be  alienated  from  God  ;  nor  transferred  to  any  created 
being! — But  the  truth  is  this; — it  will  bear  neither  the  in 
spection  of  reason,  nor  the  test  of  common  sense.  It  Is  a 
wretched  fragment  of  Gothic  manners  ;  a  pitiful  remnant  of 
the  barbarous  ages.  Had  the  fair  sex  set  their  faces  against 
it,  and  banished  the  bloody  duellist,  at  the  same  time  that  they 
banished  the  naked  painted  savage,  from  decent  society,  they 
would  have  rendered  the  reformation  of  manners  more  com 
plete.  Your  sex,  lovely  maiden," — continued  the  Princi 
pal,  addressing  himself  to  Anna  Burleigh, — "  can  do  more 
to  the  excision  of  this  barbarism  than  all  the  laws  of  the  land. 

For  our  laws" 

"  I'm  by  nae  means  confident,"  said  the  Professor,  rally 
ing  his  spirits  to  a  fresh  charge, — "  that  it  would  be,  at  all 
proper,  or  consistent  with  sound  policy,  to  enact  laws  against 
duelling ;  or  to  bespeak  the  irresistible  influence  of  the  fair 
against  it. — Excuse  me,  fair  maiden  for  interrupting  you. — 
I  love  my  old  paradox ;  and  I  cling  to  it.  Duelling  is  bene 
ficial  and  salutary:  e'en  as  mickle  sae  as  hanging.  Ye 
canna  get  alang  without  hanging  ;  and  neither  can  ye  with 
out  duelling.  I  hae  viewed  its  corrective  and  reforming  in 
fluence  in  the  dark  ages.  It  is  like  yer  physic  in  the  body, 
natural.  I'm  as  sure  of  this  as  I'm  sure  that  three  angles 
of  a  triangle  are  equal  to  two  right  angles. — And  that  it  has 
been  a  pruning-knife,  right  weel,  and  seasonably  applied 
to  the  wild  luxuriance  of  barbarism!  It  sent  many  a 
rascally  crusader,  and  cowled  priest  to  hades,  in  a  giffy . . . . 
without  waiting  the  slow  process  of  justice  which  leads  by 
a  circuitous  way,  through  many  trap  door's  of  escape — to 
the  axe  and  the  halter !  And,  now,  in  these  last  days,  when 
a  decency  of  morality,  and  the  bright  beams  of  extending 
science,  constrain  the  villains  which  prowl  in  society  to  put 
on  the  mask,,  at  least  of  hypocrisy — I  should  be  sorry  to  see 
any  laws  enacted,  or  at  least  executed  against  the  ancient 
and  knightlike  order  pf  duellers.  Away  with  your  laws 

c* 


30  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

against  a  good  shot,  and  the  adroitness  of  the'rapier's  man, 
Let  your  smart  pistolet — and  swordsman  streek  ye  out  yer 
villainslike  rizzared  haddocks  !  Why,  my  masters,  your 
duelling  purifies  the  moral  atmosphere,  as  a  thunderstorm 
does  the  burning  air  of  a  Jamaica  climate.  And,  my  cer- 
tie !  it  rids  the  world  of  many  a  rascal — and  leaves  them 
where  they  should  have  been, — to  wit — dragged  out  long 
ago — even  by  the  dyke  side,  and  in  a  ditch,  like  an  auld 
worn  out  pack-horse.  Suppose  now  that  our  brave  young 
friend  Burleigh  here,  for  instance,  had  sent  Wattie  Hepburn, 
— and  a  few  sic  lyke  tikes — reeking  in  their  guilt  to  the 
nether  dominions,  wha  wad  say,  foul  fa'  ye?" 

There  was  not  a  grave  face  in  the  room,  except  the  Princi 
pal 's,  as  the  eccentric  Professor  thus  ran  on,  until  he  had 
uttered  the  last  sentence,  when  Anna  Burleigh  and  her  sis 
ter  Mary  screamed  outright — and  started  up  from  their  seats ; 
and  the  Baronet  interposed. 

"Even  so,  Professor,"  said  the  Principal,  in  a  calm,  but 
firm  tone — "  Now  you  perceive  that  whilst  you  dealt  in 
generals,  and  stood  at  a  distance  from  us,  and  faintly  put 
down  the  grave  by  the  side  of  the  ludicrous,  you  only  wrung 
a  smile  from  us.  But  when  you  embodied  your  idea  into  a 
real  and  visible  shape,  and  set  it  before  our  eyes,  and,  more 
over,  brought  it  home  to  our  hearts,  in  the  action  of  a  bro 
ther  murdering  a  fellow  being,  we  were  shocked  inconti 
nently." 

"  Were  men  to  receive  back  their  tails  again,  and  return 
into  the  forest  to  play  their  pranks  with  their  kindred,  the 
monkeys,  and  the  ourang-outangs, — I  should  say,  amen. 
Let  us  have  no  laws  against  duelling — let  us  have  no  frowns 
from  the  virtuous  part  of  the  community  against  duelling. 
It  is  the  pruning-knife.  The  profligate  will  weed  out  the 

thistle  ;  and  lop  off  the  rotten  branches.     But Oh !  my 

young  friend" — and  he  took  Burleigh' s  hand  and  pressed  it 
between  both  his  hands,  as  he  uttered  these  pathetic  words — 
"  that  an  immortal  being  should  thus  presume  to  play  his 
pranks  before  High  Heaven ;  and  dance  over  the  precipice 
of  eternity  with  a  wild  maniac's  shudder,  and  his  fitful  con 
vulsive  laughter! Oh !  my  soul,  comenot  tliou  into  their 

secret — unto  their  assembly,  my  honour,  be  not  thou  united. . . 
I  knew  you  think  so,  dear  Burleigh — and  you,  my  good  Pro 
fessor,  notwithstanding  that  sally  of  extravagance,"  As  the 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  31 

j* 

venerable  man  uttered  this  with  great  tenderness,  he  took 
him  by  the  hand,  while  he  still  retained  the  hold  of  Burleigh'  s. 
There  was  not  a  dry  eye  in  the  room. 

"  I  feel  myself  called  upon  to  explain," — cried  Burleigh ; 
— "  I  did  not  fight  a  duel :  I  had  no  second,  of  course  ;  Sir 
William  had  no  concern  whatever  in  my  original  affair 
with  Wattie  Hepburn." — 

The  good  old  Baronet  at  these  words  started  up,  and 
clasped  Burleigh  to  his  bosom ;  while  the  sisters  gave  vent 
to  their  passionate  joy. 

"  I  thocht  sae, — I  ay  thocht  sae," — cried  the  Baronet : 
"  I  could  na  doubt  the  honour  o'  my  child !" 

"  Let  us  hear  him  out," — said  the  Principal ;  "  Bur 
leigh' s  honour,  and  nobility  of  soul  have  ever  been  pure, 
and  unspotted, — as  the  white  ground  on  the  shield  o'  his 
forebears !" 


CHAPTER  IV. 

*'  But  love,  first  learned  in  lady's  eyes, 

Lives  not  alone  immured  in  the  brain ; 

But  with  the  motion  of  all  elements, 

Courses  as  swift  as  thought  in  every  power  : 

And  gives  to  every  power  a  double  power." — SHAKSPEAKE. 

As  the  Principal  was  uttering  these  words,  they  were 
interrupted  by  the  attendant  leading  in  two  persons,  who 
appeared,  from  their  dress,  to  come  from  a  journey.  The 
one  was  a  tall,  and  erect  figure ;  and  when  he  threw  off  his 
cloak,  he  stood  forth  in  the  undress  of  a  soldier, — copied 
after  the  model  of  the  Covenanters'  army  of  forty-two.  His 
face,  though  youthful,  exhibited  no  common-place  features. 
There  was  an  air  of  solemnity  about  it.  But  it  was  lighted 
up  by  a  smile  of  unaffected  pleasantness,  and  gladness.  A 
stranger  would  have  said  that  there  was  in  it  the  expression 
of  conscious  superiority:  there  was  certainly  much  dignity, 
and  firmness  in  it.  The  nose  was  prominent  and  aquiline. 
His  polished  brow  rose  high  under  his  dark  and  curled 
hair.  His  eye  brows  were  heavy,  but  not  bushy,  and  jet 


32  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

black.  They  were  drawn  together  at  the  inner  extremi 
ties — in  a  manner  which  indicated  not  so  much  pride  or 
fierceness,  as  deep  and  habitual  thought  of  a  rather  melan 
choly  cast.  His  face  was  full  and  oval.  His  mouth  small ; 
his  lips  finely  shaped ;  and  rather  prominent :  his  eyes 
large,  dark,  and  piercing.  He  saluted  the  company  indi 
vidually  with  the  easy  manner  of  one  who  has  seen  the 
world ;  and  at  the  same  time  with  a  sprinkling  of  that  re 
serve  into  which  a  young  man  naturally  falls,  who  is  con 
strained  to  be  on  his  guard,  habitually,  among  strangers ; 
and  from  which  he  cannot  altogether  free  himself  when 
among  his  friends.  He  might  be  twenty-five  years  of  age. 

The  other  was  a  youth  of  about  seventeen,  well  shaped, 
short  in  stature,  erect,  and  unusually  sedate.  His  counte 
nance  was  peculiarly  interesting.  His  complexion  was 
bright  and  ruddy :  his  brow  unusually  high,  and  square ; 
and  there  was  a  loftiness,  and  noble  air  over  the  whole  com 
bination  of  features;  and,  moreover,  a  certain  cast  of  his 
dark  blue  eyes  which  indicated  great  penetration  and  un- 
subduable  courage.  His  manners  were  plain  and  simple. — 
But  there  was  withal  an  ease  and  collectedriess  in  them, 
which,  in  one  of  his  age,  showed  that  he  had  associated 
with  good  company.  He  merely  bowed  to  each  of  the 
company,  while  his  companion  was  busied  in  embracing 
every  individual  round-  the  circle. 

"  Brother  Robert,"  said  Sir  William  Hamilton  as  our 
traveller  reached  him,  and  another  beautiful  being  whom 
he  would  most  gladly  have  saluted  first — but  whom, 
through  a  kind  of  mysterious  awkwardness  he  happened 
to  approach  the  very  last — "  I  greet  you  weel  on  your  arri 
val. — I  present  you  to  the  lovely  Mary  Stuart," — added  he 
in  a  louder  tone,  and  with  well-affected  nonchalance,  "  for 
really  you  do  not  seem  to  have  ,seen  her — or  rather  to 
judge  you  in  the  spirit  of  charity,  the  light  of  her  charms 
may  have  struck  you  blind ;  for,  as  the  poetical  Secretary 
of  old  Noll  hath  it, — '  the  excess  of  light  is  darkness.1  It 
is  certainly  so  to  us,  frail  mortals,  in  this  mundane  sphere." 

Mary  Stewart  was  all  the  while  struggling  to  conceal 
her  agitation.  The  first  vision  of  the  two  figures,  as  they 
entered  the  room,  had  sent  the  blood  to  her  brow  and  her 
neck.  Then  with  a  tumult  it  hurried  back  :  and  she  stood 
pale  and  agitated — leaning  on  her  sister's  arm,  as  Sir  Ro- 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  33 

bert  approached  her. — This  well-timed  rallying  of  Sir  Wil 
liam  brought  her  relief.  Her  face  was  soon  lighted  up  with 
a  smile — while  the  clear  tear  drop — that  had  stolen  down 
her  cheek,  fell  into  her  beautiful  bosom,  and  disappeared. 

Sir  Robert  saluted  her  with  the  tenderest  affection — and 
leading  her  to  a  seat,  entered  into  earnest  conversation  with 
her. — But  it  was  not  after  the  manner  of  the  poets'  painting, 
or  of  romance.  It  was  not  even  in  the  manner,  and  imagina 
tive  communings  of  two  lovers,  whose  vows  are  being  ratified 
for  the  first  time,  or  renewed  under  the  sweet  hawthorn 
tree ;  and  the  charming  scenery  of  a  midsummer  night's 
moon.  Their  love — for  we  must  render  justice  to  it, — was 
as  sincere,  and  as  ardent  as  ever  poet  painted, — or  ever 
glowing  imagination  conceived.  But  a  thousand  circum 
stances,  growing  out  of  Scotland's  afflicted  times,  had  com 
bined  to  chase  away,  or  rather  to  chasten  down  the  sweet 
poetry  and  romance  of  love.  Theirs  was  the  love  of  en 
lightened  and  feeling  minds,  bowed  down  under  the  bur 
den  of  family  sorrows,  and  those  of  their  country,  and  the 
Kirk  of  God. — Their  respective  families,  especially  that  of 
Mary  Stewart,  had  again  and  again  bled  under  the  cruel 
inflictions  of  tyranny.  They  had  followed  to  the  grave,  in 
the  bitterness  of  their  youthful  grief,  the  dearest  relations 
in  life.  Their  love,  as  often  as  it  broke  forth  in  as  pure 
and  holy  a  flame  as  ever  poet  pourtrayed,  or  the  warmest 
heart  conceived — had  felt  the  chilling  death-stroke  which 
the  horrid  din  of  civil  war,  and  the  cruelty  of  tyranny  fail 
not  to  inflict  on  the  heart.  Their  sweetest  hopes,  often  on 
the  eve  of  being  realized,  had  been  again  and  again  de 
ferred  ; — and  they  had  felt,  in  the  midst  of  their  brightest 
anticipations,  that  protracted  sickness  under  which  the 
heart  sinks  when  the  fondest  hopes  of  a  lover  are  suddenly 
disappointed. 

"  I  found  thee  not — my  sweet  Mary — either  in  the  cot 
tage  of  auld  Maisy ; — nor  had  thy  foot  passed  under  the 
Trysting  Oak  in  thy  daily  visit  to  the  wounded  sufferers. 
But  having  learned  the  cause  of  your  sudden  departure 
hither,  we  hastened  after  you.  The  season,  indeed,  calls 
imperatively  for  action,  my  lovely  Mary," — continued  Sir 
Robert  after  a  long  pause — and  with  great  embarrassment, 
— "  The  expiring  liberty  of  our  country,  and  the  groans  of 
the  wounded  Kirk  of  God,  sound  loudly  in  my  ears — and 


34  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

painful  it  is,  God  knoweth,  to  bide  it.  And  I  come  aince 
mair  to  press  my  humble  suit — before  we  finally  embark  in 
these  difficulties  and  perils. — Only  let  me  call  thee  mine 
own " 

"  Ah !  Sir  Robert,  I  cannot  look  forward  into  the  coming 
days  without  beholding  another  tragic  scene.  My  sainted 
sister  Clara,  and  the  martyred  McKail  rise  up  before  me 
in  my  waking  dreams — with  the  wild  and  frantic  grief  of  my 
family. — The  vow  has  passed  my  lips,  which  first  I  whis 
pered  to  thee  under  the  green  oak  of  Carlsness.  But  let 
me  whisper  it  to  thee,  in  thine  ear, — Mary  Stewart  will 
never  wed  the  beloved  of  her  soul, — until  the  light  of  peace 
shall  revisit  our  country, — and  the  wounds  of  her  bleeding 
family  be  closed. — But  this  is  not  the  place  to  rehearse 
these  things.  Burleigh  is  now  so  well,  that  we  shall  leave 
this  place,  perhaps,  to-morrow.  And  I  will  meet  thee  at 
the  TRYSTING  OAK — in  a  few  short  weeks — when  spring 
puts  on  her  young  leaves  and  flowers ; — that  is,  if  we  return 
to  my  father's  house ;  or  meet  we  in  the  cave  of  Kirkfield 
if  I  visit  the  retirement  of  my  grandfather.1' 

All  this  was  uttered  in  a  whisper — while  a  brisk  conver 
sation  occupied  the  attention  of  the  rest  of  the  company. 

Hamilton  was  overwhelmed  at  this  resolution  of  his  be 
trothed — and  more  so  by  the  firm — and  even  obstinate 
manner  in  which  she  uttered  it,  than  by  the  resolution 
itself. — For  the  lover  learned  his  fate  rather  from  the  man 
ner  than  from  the  words  of  his  mistress.  He  raised  her 
hand  to  his  lips, — and  a  shower  of  tears  fell  on  it.  He 
thought  on  the  past :  he  gazed  on  the  face  of  Mary  Stew 
art  ;  and  in  the  bitterness  of  his  soul  he  looked  forward,  and 
saw  between  him  and  his  happiness  a  fearful  space — covered 
.  with  the  visions  of  blood  and  death, — the  battle-ground  on 
"  which  his  country  was  to  conquer  her  liberty  and  religion,— 
or  to  fall  under  the  steel  of  tyranny,  with  the  flower  of  her 
sons! 

But  the  soul  of  the  young  Hamilton  was  the  soul  of  a"  hero 
as  well  as  a  lover.  It  possessed  the  singular  elasticity,  and 
the  courage  of  the  house  w*hence  he  was  descended.  It 
rested  not  until  it  had  taken  up  its  bold  purpose.  And  then, 
nothing  could  move  him,  nor  turn  him  aside  from  the  exe 
cution  of  his  purpose. — The  dark  cloud  soon  passed  away 
from  his  mind  and  from  his  brow.  His  betrothed  saw  it ; 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  35 

and  her  smile  gave  the  life,  and  body  of  words  to  his  reso 
lution. — "A  glorious  prize!"  cried  he, — "Well  worth  a 
soldier,  and  a  Christian's  toils !  The  deliverance  of  the 
Kirk ;  the  liberty  of  my  kintry, — and  the  hand  of  Mary 

Stewart ! Onward and  the  rallying  word  of  a  Hamilton 

is THROUGH!"* 

The  tone  of  enthusiasm,  with  which  he  uttered  the  last 
words,  fell  on  the  ear  of  the  loudest  speaker  in  the  company; 
and  it  produced  suddenly  a  deep  silence.  And  Sir  William 
was  just  pronouncing  the  words — "  Encore — the  rallying 
word  of  a  Hamilton  is  THROUGH," — when  a  new  visitant 
was  ushered  in  by  the  attendant.  He  paused  near  the  door 
— and  stood  muffled  up  in  the  ample  foldings  of  a  grey 
cloak,  and  a  large  slouched  hat — tied  under  his  chin,  and 
over  a  bushy  beard.  He  first  saw  that  the  attendant  had 
retired;  and  then  he  threw  his  eye  hurriedly  over  each  face 
in  the  company.  His  eye,  at  length,  fell  on  Sir  Robert,  and 
his  young  companion ;  and  that  sight  seemed  to  tell  him 
that  the  coasts  were  all  clear — and  that  none  but  friends 
were  present.  He  instantly  threw  off  his  cloak,  and  hat; — 
and  stood  forward  before  the  company  a  comely  old  man, 
in  the  well  known  and  distinctive  dress  of  a  Scottish  Minis 
ter  of  that  day.  He  had  on  a  plain  coat,  of  the  darkest  grey, 
approaching  to  black,  with  a  row  of  black  buttons  from  the 
collar  to  the  bottom  of  the  skirt :  a  doublet  of  black  velvet, 
with  flaps,  peaked,  and  extending  nearly  to  the  knee :  and 
small  clothes  of  the  same  materials  and  colour;  which  reach 
ed  within  a  few  inches  of  the  knee,  and  were  garnished  with 
a  black  garter,  a  buckle,  and  a  row  of  buttons  half  way  up 
to  the  loin :  his  stockings  were  drawn  tightly  up  over  the 
knees,  showing  at  once  the  graceful  leg,  and  knee  joint. 
His  shoes  were  neatly  fitted  on ;  reaching  above  the  ankle ; 
and  ornamented,  in  front,  with  a  gausy,  rose-knot  of  ribbon. 

There  was  something  venerable,  and  stately  in  the  Pas 
tor's  manner.  His  whole  deportment  and  air  indicated  a 
man  who  had  seen  the  world,  and  mixed  in  good  company. 
There  was  a  sprio-htliness~and  vivacity  which  lighted  up 
his  countenance:  But  it  was  evident  that  sufferings  and 
melancholy  had  thrown  over  it  no  small  mixture  of  the  se- 

*  Thi«  is  the  well  known  motto  on  the  Arms  of  th*  Duk«  of  Ha 
milton,  and  of  all  the  Hamilton*. 


36  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND ": 

vere.  His  hair,  as  white  as  the  snow,  was  parted  in  front 
with  some  taste ;  and  nicely  smoothed  back  behind  his 
ears ;  and  it  fell  in  a  profusion  of  curls  on  his  bosom  and 
shoulders.  His  brow  was  broad  and  high.  And  across  its 
snowy  coloxir  some  deep  furrows  were  traced  by  cares  and 
the  hand  of  time.  His  beard  was  bushy,  and  nearly  as 
white  as  his  head.  His  face  was  long-  and  of  an  oval  form : 
his  nose  was  prominent,  and  formed  according  to  the  no 
ble  Roman  model :  His  lips  full  and  well  shaped :  His  eyes 
grey,  large,  and  sparkling. 

At  the  first  recognition, — and  as  he  uttered  his  "  Gude'en 
— Gude'en — may  the  presence  of  the  MASTER  be  amang  ye 
a'  " — every  person  in  the  room  rose  up,  and  crowded 
around  him :  And  every  mouth  uttered  the  benediction, — 
"  God  bless  you,  venerable  father!" 

In  a  brief  space  he  was  seated  in  the  midst  of  the  circle; 
evidently  much  fatigued,  and  under  some  degree  of  agitation. 
The  principal  placed  himself  on  one  side  of  him ;  and  Sir 
James  Stewart  took  his  seat  on  the  other.  And,  as  if  by  a 
concerted  signal  all  were  silent;  and  every  eye  was  fixed 
on  the  venerable  man ;  and  every  face  seemed  to  wait  with 
anxiety  for  an  answer  to  the  question, — wherefore  is  this 
visit  paid,  so  unexpectedly,  and  in  such  a  perilous  hour? 

The  old  man  fixed  his  eyes  for  some  time  in  silence  upon 
Burleigh.  It  was  at  first  a  look  of  anxiety  and  sorrow; 
but  in  an  instant  every  trace  of  sorrow  and  anxiety  had 
passed  away.  His  eyes  beamed  with  unusual  joy.  He 
was  evidently  struggling  to  conceal  his  emotions.  A  big 
tear  rolled  down  his  cheek.  But  he  made  no  demonstra 
tion  by  wiping  it  away.  It  fell  gently  on  his  beard,  and 
dropt  down  on  his  black  leather  girdle. 

"Sir  James" — said  he,  taking  the  Baronet  by  the  hand, 
— "  The  object  of  my  visit  is  already  accomplished.  And  I 
ought,  perhaps,  to  retire.  My  prayers  have  been  heard.  I 
have  with  my  ain  auld  een  seen  Burleigh  alive,  and  sitting 
m  your  presence — God  bless  him." 

All  eyes  were  turned  instantly  with  eager  and  inquiring 
looks  on  Burleigh, — who  at  this  moment  rose  up,  and  with 
affectionate  respect  threw  his  arms  around  the  venerable 
man's  neck,  and  kissed  his  cheek ;  while  he  in  ^return,  em 
braced  and  kissed  Burleigh — and  both  sobbed  aloud. — HaT- 
mg  speedily  composed  himself,  he  thus  went  on. 


OR,    THE    LAST    OF    THE    STUARTS.  37 

"  Sir  James,  I  trembled  to  think  it  e'en  possible,  that  I  micht 
hae  been  the  cause  of  death  again  visitin'  ony  branch  o'  the 
family  o'  Carlsness.  My  bowels  yearned  ower  him :  and  I 
longed  to  see  him  on  this  spot ;  and  to  satisfy  my  ain  heart, 
that  he  was  alive  and  weel.  I  could  na'  in  these  unco  wae- 
some  times,  gain  ony  information.  The  enemy  was  abroad. 
And  I  could  na,  dear  Burleigh,  see  thee  ony  suner  in  per 
son.  I  hae  just  aince  mair  again  got  upon  my  auld  limbs. 
My  wounds  closed  but  slowly.  And  I  am  just  noo  per 
mitted, —  lauded  be  HIS  name, — to  tak  the  advantage  o'  the 
nicht,  and  the  sleep  o'  the  foemen,  to  come  and  thank  thee, 
Burleigh,  for  saving  the  life  o'  puir  auld  DONALD  CARGIL. 

He  arose  to  depart :  but  the  whole  circle  stood  up,  and 
begged, — and  even  compelled  him  to  remain  a  little  longer. 
— And  Sir  James,  in  utter  amazement  requested  his  son,  as 
soon  as  all  were  seated,  to  explain  the  meaning  of  all  this 
mysterious  language. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Me  Duff;— "Stands  Scotland  where  it  did? 

Rosse. — Alas !   poor  country, 
Almost  afraid  to  know  itself !     It  cannot 
Be  called  our  mother,  but  our  grave  :  where  nothing, 
But  who  knows  nothing, — is  once  seen  to  smile. 
Where  sighs,  and  groans,  and  shrieks  which  rend  the  air, 
Are  made,  not  marked  !     Where  violent  sorrow  seems, 
A  modern  ecstacy !    the  dead  man's  knell 
Is  there  scarce  asked,  for  whom  ?     And  good  men's  lives 
Expire  before  the  flowers  in  their  caps, 
Dying, — or  ere  they  sicken  !" — SHAKESPEARE. 

"  My  revered  father," — said  Burleigh,  "our  father  Car- 
gil  has  arrived  most  opportunely  to  vindicate  me  from  the 
suspicion  of  having  fought  a  duel ;  so  I  pray  you,  my  vene 
rable  father — But  excuse  me,  my  friends,  a  moment, — 
Here,  Gillie,  my  braw  callan, — excuse  me,  father  Cargil," 
— continued  Burleigh,  apostrophising  the  minister,  and 
addressing  his  attendent,  at  the  same  time : — "  Here  Gillie 
O'Nogan,  bring  us  in  that  stoup  of  claret :  and,  harkee,  bring 
also  in  thy  canny  hand  the  black  jack  also ; — t^'s  talking 

VOL.    I. D. 


38  THE  WHIGS  cff  SCOTLAND: 

creates  drouth. — Noo,  father  Cargil,  proceed  wi'  a  narrative 
o'  the  haile  affair.  Een  silly  stories  downa  be  clipped 
ower  short.  It  wad  only  create  an  ill-timed,  and  unneces 
sary  mystery  in  the  haile  matter :  sae  een  tell  a'. — But  here 
come  the  crater  comforts,  as  our  betters  ca'  them." 

He  filled  up  a  bickerfu'  to  each  of  the  old  men  ;  and  pass 
ed  the  stoup  to  the  rest ;  giving  a  nod  to  Sir  William,  and 
requesting  him  "to  see  that  each  should  have  justice,  at  his 
hands ;  and  that  nae  ane  be  allowed,  by  any  manner  o1 
means,  to  be  cap-stridden." 

Cargil  having  set  down  his  bicker,  which  he  had  drained 
off  with  a  hearty  good  will, — while  he  added  according  to 
his  custom,  "be  His  name  praised  for  the  crater  comforts, 
— that's  gude  yill," — Burleigh  went  on  to  observe  that 
"touching  the  affairs  alluded  to,  a  narrative  of  it  was  neces 
sary.  You  will  thereby,  for  instance,  vindicate  me,  in  this 
circle,  frae  the  suspicion  o'  having  fought  a  duel, — heaven 
help  me, — with  Col.  Graham's  richt  hand  man  Wattie 
Hepburn.  Ne'er  has  ane  in  my  father's  hoose,  through  a 
lang  race  o'  gallant  and  gude  men,  had  the  foul  charge  fast 
ened  on  him,  o'  shedding  blude  in  private  griefs.  Ane  act 
o'  this  kind  Ave  class  wi'  deeds  o'  infamy, — sic  as  treachery 
to  a  friend;  forgery,  breach  o'  trust,  perjury,  treason,  assas 
sination.  Nae  Scottish  gentleman  can  sink  sae  low  with 
out  the  utter  loss  o'  honour !  And  I  am  anxious  to  hae 
e'en  the  suspicion  of  sic  baseness  and  dishonour  removed 
frae  the  breast  o'  ilk  ane  o'  ye  here." — Meantime,  my  mas 
ters,  wi'  yer  leave,  I  shall  betake  myself  to  my  chamber 
for  a  brief  space. — I'm  no  like  to  forget  the  keen  edge  o' 
Wattie's  steel  sune.  Howsomever,  I  shall  pay  my  respects 
some  day,  to  that  semi-Goliath,  when  the  cause  o'  oor  kintry 
maun  be  richted  by  the  steel  o'  the  Whigs." 

Burleigh  having  retired,  the  venerable  Pastor  commenced 
his  explanations. — 

"  The  present  state  o'  oor  unhappy  kintry  has,  ilka  week, 
given  occasion  to  sic  brulzies,  as  that  which  has  brought 
Burleigh  into  the  present  trouble.  For  aughteen  lang 
years*  has  Scotland  groaned  under  misrule  and  tyranny. 

The  royal  Stuart,  wha  thanked  God,  in  the  presence  o' 
bis  Scottish  Parliament,  that  he  was  born  a  Scotsman,  and 

*  From  A.D.  1660,  to  A.D.  1678. 


OR,    THE    LAST    OF    THE    STUARTS.  39 

educated  a  presbyterian,  had  been  thankfu',  it  seems,  for 
what  he  himself  deemed  an  unco  sma'  favour.  Nae  suner 
had  he  felt  the  crown  of  Henry  VIII.  on  his  empty  noddle, 
and  his  shacklin  body  in  the  throne  o'  a  lang  line  o'  spiritual 
tyrants, — Edward  VI.  ay  excepted, — God  bless  his  memory 
to  us, — than  he  felt  the  working,  in  his  banny  brains,  o' 
that  wild  fanaticism,  peculiar  to  that  headstrong  race.  He 
lost  sight  o'  his  kintry;  and  forgot  his  presbyterian  up 
bringing.  His  heart  was  uplifted  to  a  dizzy  height,  by  the 
flattery  o'  the  lordly  prelates  ;  and  the  crater  forgot  himself. 
Noo,  he  was  king,  said  they,  by  divine  richt:  he  was  God's 
civil  vice-gerent  upon  the  throne ;  and  sae  was  he !  The 
land,  and  the  very  soil  were  his  by  divine  richt :  the  people 
o'  fair  England,  and  Scotland,  and  Ireland,  a',  body  and 
soul,  were  e'en  his,  by  divine  richt!  Their  consciences 
were  his,  and  in  his  keeping  alennarly  by  divine  richt ! 

He  was  the  Lord's  anointed:  the  Scottish  Solomon the 

second  edition  o'  Solomon  the  wise." 

"Bravo!  ay!  and  that  he  must  hae  been:  and  bound  too, 
in  gude  calf-skin,11 — exclaimed  the  mathematical  professor, 
with  an  honest  roar  of  laughter ;  for  he  could  not  for  the 
soul  of  him  resist  the  pun. 

Cargil  cast  his  eyes  on  him  for  a  moment,  and  the  grave 
cast  of  his  countenance  instantly  relaxed  into  a  smile.  But 
as  the  remembrance  of  past  sorrows  crowded  upon  his  spirit, 
he  relapsed  into  the  severe,  as  he  replied, — 

"  Be  sober,  my  dear  professor, — we  are  na  in  the  green 
room  o'  the  college.  Weel  timed  dajfin  is  gude  in  its  place : 
but  wha  can  mak  merry  ower  a  subject,  whilk  causes  a' 
Scotland  to  be  in  tears. — Weel,  thae  principles  o'  King 
James  were  painfully  instilled  into  "Babee"  Charles, — the 
the  first,  and  by  him  into  his  son's  mind,  the  second  Charles, 
wi"  a'  the  fell  earnestness  o'  ane,  whose  fanaticism  avowed 
that,  by  divine  richt,  and  in  virtue  of  his  being  the  anointed 
o'  the  Lord,  he  had  the  power  o'  converting  the  haile  realm 
and  people  into  his  heritable  property,  to  be  held  in  fee  sim 
ple, — and  enfeofed  into  the  saum  by  the  Court  o'  Heaven. 

"  Noo,  my  masters,  the  present  Stuart, — after  a'  that  this 

loyal  kingdom  has  done  for  him,  is  causing  his  wrath  to 

descend  on  auld  Scotland,  in  a  shower  o'  blude !     Its  noo 

seventeen  years  and  mair,*  syn  tyranny  tore  up  the  beautiful 

*  From  A.D.  1662. 


40  THE    WHIGS    OF    SCOTLAND : 

tree  o'  the  Kirk  o'  Scotland;  and  strewed  her  green 
branches  in  the  dust.  The -religion  o'  the  court,  and  its 
form  of  government,  has  been  laid  on  oor  necks,  as  a  griev 
ous  burden ;  it  has  been  done  by  an  act  of  mere  supremacy. 
Scotland's  wull  was  never  asked.  And  what's  mair, — the 
kirk  did  neer,  to  this  day,  surrender  her  richts,  nor  yield 
her  consent.  The  Act  which  professed  to  establish  prelacy 
was  unconstitutional,  as  weel  as  unjust.  For  there  stands, 
unrepealed,  to  this  day,  in  the  statute-book,  the  Acts  of  Par 
liament,  which  established  oor  gude  presbyterian  kirk  gov 
ernment  :  and  the  sincere  doctrines  o'  the  gospel. 

"  Injustice  is  usually  followed  by  cruelty. — That  was  the 

day  o'  a  nation's  lament February  1st,  1C62, — when /our 

hundred  o'  the  maist  learned  ministers  o'  the  kirk  o'  Scot 
land,  were  driven  from  their  churches  and  their  homes:  their 
beloved  flock,  in  deep  mourning,  crowded  around  them  for 
the  last  time :  bearded  men  hung  on  the  necks  of  their  much 
loved  Pastors,  and  wept  in  the  bitterness  o'  their  spirits, — 
as  they  bade  them  their  last  and  lingering  fareweel ! 

"And  a'  Scotland  kens  whilk  method  the  cou^t  teuk  to 
overcome  the  nation's  prejudice  against  the  prelates  and 
their  curates.  Did  they  elect  choice  men,  o'  weel  kenned 
pairts,  and  piety;  like  many  o'  thae  bricht  stars,  whilk 
sparkle  in  England's  skies,  baith  within  her  church,  and 
amang  the  Puritans  ?  Did  they  strive  like  men  o'  sense 
wha  study  human  nature,  to  tak  the  best  means  to  supplant 
the  much-loved  Pastor,  in  the  hearts  o'  the  people,  by  giving 
them  their  matches  in  the  purity  o'  doctrine,  and  the  fervour 
a1  piety  ?  No,  sirs  !  They  caught  your  half  fledged  whaups, 
— lads  wha  soucht  the  priests1  office  for  a  bit  o'  bread. 
And  as  touching  the  mair  elderly  o'  them,  wha  were  de 
signed  for  the  mair  important  stations,  they  were  the  refuse 
o'  the  gude  auld  Kirk, — men,  wha,  lik  James  Sharp,  had 
sold  the  Kirk  o'  Scotland  for  gold !  Men  wha  could  na 
stand  a  bang  o'  disputation  wi  the  maist  feck  o'  the  laymen 
whigs ;  wha  dang  the  bottom  oot  o'  a'  thei  arguments  and 
logic,  at  the  first  onset.  And  men  o'  low  manners  who  add 
ed  to  their  haly  office  that  of  spies  and  informers  against 
their  ain  parishioners.  They  were  leagued  with  the  un 
principled  military  whom  they  honoured  with  the  title  o1 
their  Ruling  Elders.  Ah !  what  a  withering  blast  hae 


OR,    THE    LAST   OF    THE    STUARTS.  41 

their  cruelty  and  heartless  impiety  breathed  over  the  kirk 
o1  God! 

"And,  noo,  the  Scottish  nation  recalls  wi'  increasing  an 
guish  o'  their  souls,  the  fondly  cherished  memory  o'  their 
gude  auld  pastors.  They  could  na  but  compare  sic  pastors 
wi'  sic  priests.  There  was,  on  the  part  o'  the  latter  a  proud 
defiance  o'  the  people's  hatred,  and  the  people's  utmost  ven 
geance.  They  soucht  the  fleece  only :  and  they  studied  not 
much  delicacy  in  the  manner  o'  takin  it  off! 

"  The  venerable  auld  pastors,  came  in  amang  them  wi'  the 
sincere  gospel.  Few  were  their  wants,  and  those  easily 
supplied :  their  aim  was  to  make  them  disciples  o'  the 
blessed  master,  good  men,  and  worthy  citizens.  But  the 
prelates  and  their  curates  cam  in  amang  the  flock  wi'  spears, 
and  carabines,  and  blood-thirsty  soldadoes,  whom  they  blush 
ed  not  to  employ  to  establish  themselves  in  their  usurpa 
tions.  In  this  rude  way  sought  they  to  woo  over  the  Scot 
tish  heart  to  their  religion !  In  ae  word,  the  minister's 
came  as  humble  messengers  of  heaven  to  guide  suffering 
and  dying  men  to  immortal  bliss  !  The  priests  came  wi' 
fire  and  sword  to  dragoon  a  nation  into  their  religion, — with 
motives  whilk  nae  man  can  mistake ! 

"And  what's  to  be  the  end  o'  a  thae  things Yes, — I  see 

it,  my  friends." — The  venerable  pastor  uttered  this  in  an 
under  tone,  as  if  to  himself;  and  like  one  whose  eye  is  fixed 
with  intense  interest  on  a  distant  object, — "yes  !  it  will  be 
short,  but  sharp ! 

"All  these  acts  and  doings,  originating  in  the  frantic  bi 
gotry  o'  Clarendon,  and  the  cruelty  o'  the  cooncil  wha  mak 
a  cat's  paw  o'  royalty,  to  gain  their  ain  ends, — are  sending 
into  the  bosom  o'  Scotsmen,  a  deep  and  deadly  hostility  o' 
soul ; — ane  hostility  whilk  nae  English  prince, — whilk  nae 
deep  planning,  and"  ungodly  favourite, — whilk  nae  scheme 
o'  Scottish  bishop  ; — whilk  nae  threatening,  and  nae  force  o1 
men, — be  they  Heeland  host,  or  fierce  soldadoes, — can  eer 
subdue.  It  is  the  virtuous  hostility  of  a  nation  against  fero 
cious  tyranny.  I  see  auld  Scotland  retiring  into  her  fast 
nesses  :  like  the  red  lion  o'  Africa, — she  retires  slowly  before 
the  hunter's  spear:  with  sullenness  she  retires; — but  with 
the  conscious  superiority,  and  proud  defiance  o'  that  noble 
animal :  she  retires, — but  her  bludeshot  een  are  often  thrown 
back  on  her  oppressors. 

D* 


42  THE    WHIGS    OF    SCOTLAND." 

"And,  my  masters,  what  crime  hae  we  Scotchmen  com 
mitted,  that  we  are  thus  outlawed,  and  hunted  down,  and 
murdered  at  oor  ain  hearth  stone,  in  the  presence  o'  wife 
and  bairns?  We  hae  done  naething  against  the  kirk  J 
God :  naething  against  oor  kintry ;  naething  against  oor 
King!  Let  the  foeman  name  it, — let  them  write  it  in  a 
beuk.  Oor  hearts  were  leal  to  oor  kintry ;  and  oor  king, 
until  he  drove  us  frae  his  protection,  and  refused  us  the  pro 
tection  o'  his  natural  born  subjects.  We  avowed  the  cove 
nants  o'  the  reformation  frae  prelacy  ;  sae  did  King  Charles 
II.  sae  did  Lauderdale,  sae  did  Sharpe.  They  broke  their 
vows  voluntarily  made,  and  broucht  on  themselves  the 
guilt  o'  pe  jury :  so,  help  us  Gcd,  did  not  we ! 

"  The  head  and  front  o'  oor  offending  is  this :  while  they 
place  the  supremacy,  and  the  dominion  ower  men's  con 
sciences  on  the  shoulders  of  a  mortal  man  : — a  man  too  wha 
violates  the  first  principles  o'  religion  and  even  decorum. 
We  place  the  croon  o'  supremacy  on  the  head  o'  HIM  whose 
head  has  many  croons. — They  forbid  us  to  preach,  or  to  wor 
ship  the  God  o'  oor  fathers  but  at  their  nod  and  dictation. 
We  declare  afore  high  heaven  and  the  angels,  that  nae 
power  on  earth  or  hell  either  can  abstract  frae  us  the  richts 
and  inheritance  o'  free  born  men,  and  Christians.  They  de 
prived  us  by  force  o'  oor  kirks  !  We  yielded  them  up  wi' 
sair  hearts  indeed ;  but  peaceably  we  teuk  this  spoiling  o' 
oor  gudes,  and  our  temples.  We  retired  to  meet  oor  flocks, 
under  the  wide-spreading  oak  o'  the  forest,  or  on  the  heathy 
mountain's  side.  Did  we  injury  to  king,  or  kintry  ? — They 
chase  vs  frae  een  these  retreats  !  They  denounce  us ;  and 
set  a  p;ice  on  oor  heads ;  they  drive  the  people  by  fines,  by 
spear,  and  carabine  into  the  churches  o'  the  merciless  priests. 
They  attack  oor  Conventicles,  where  alone  we  can  meet, — 
they  attack  oor  peaceable  families,  by  their  fierce  soldiers, 
and  foreigners  let  loose  on  us, — wha  hae  not  the  bowels  o' 
civilized  men.  They  employ  e'en  the  sagacity  o}  blude 
hounds  to  track  the  wretched  wanderer  in  his  hiding-places. 
Noo,  whaur's  the  man  that  can  blame  us  for  takin'  up  airms 
to  repel,  by  force,  the  violence  o'  the  assassins  ?  Has  he 
the  heart  o'  a  man, — Scotchman  he  canna  be,  wha  can  say, 
we  have  dune  wrong  ? 

"We  appeal  to  men !  We  appeal  to  angels  !  We  appeal 
to  THEE,  O  maist  just  and  holy  One !... .against  the  Stuart, — 


OR,    THE    LAST    OF    THE    STUARTS.  43 

and  his  minions  the  Lauderdales,  the  Sharps,  and  the 
Claverses !  We  appeal  to  POSTERITY.  And  the  men  o' 
ither  ages,  standing  on  oor  gravestones,  will  con  over  oor 
epitaphs ;  and  teach  their  children  to  respect  them :  and  they 
will  bless  the  memory  o'  the  MARTYRS  o'  SCOTLAND  !" 

The  venerable  pastor,  as  he  uttered  these  words  in  a  deep 
tone  of  earnestness,  bent  forward  and  covered  his  face  with 
his  hands;  while  a  shower  of  tears  fell  on  his  lap.  There 
was  not  a  dry  eye  in  the  company. 

"And  where's  the  heartless  wretch," — said  the  Principal, 
first  breaking  the  silence, — "  wha  can  stand  up  and  justify  the 
foeman;  and  their  measures?  Nane,  I'm  sure, — but  they 
only  excepted,  wha  wad  bind  bleeding  Scotland,  and  the 
Kirk  o'  God  in  chains!" 

"Ye  wunna  find  ae  honest  man  o'  Scotland  duin'  it," — 
cried  the  mathematic  Professor ;  and  it  cost  even  him  an 
effort,  to  keep  his  voice  steady. — "But  pray  you  my  friends," 
continued  he, — "Let  our  venerated  Pastor  gang  on;  and 
dinna  interrupt  him  wi'  thae  silly  tears,  and  whimperings  at 
this  gaite.  There's  ane  hoor  when  the  patriot  and  minister 
o'  God  weep  nae  mair :  and  that  hoor  is  come  wi'  us. — 
Let  oor  father  gang  on:  ne'er  did  I  hear  him  wi'  half  sae 
mickle  pleasure,  in  the  days  o'  his  youth,  when  the  haile  o' 
his  audience  in  the  Landward  Kirk,  in  the  Heigh  Kirk,  I 
hae  seen  bathed  in  tears  under  his  outpourings." 

"  I  shall  first  beg  Sir  William  to  narrate  the  preceding; 
adventures  of  Burleigh  and  his  college  associates," — said 
Cargil, — "  which  drew  on  them  the  vengeance  of  the  Life- 
Guards." 


44  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 


CHAPTER  VI. 


-Cornwall. — "  Peace,  Sirrah ! 


You  beastly  knave,  know  you  no  reverence  ? 

Kent :  Yes,  Sir,  but  anger  has  a  privilege. 

Cornwall :  Why  art  thou  angry  ? 
Kent :  That  such  a  slave  as  this  should  wear  a  sword, 
Who  wears  no  honesty  !  Such  smiling  rogues  as  these 
Like  rats  oft  bite  the  holy  cords  atwain. — 
Goose,  If  I  had  you  upon  Sarum's  plain 
I'd  drive  you  cackling  home  to  Camolet !" — SHAKSPEARE. 

"  It  is  proper," — said  Sir  Wiliam,  "  here  to  notice  the  ad 
ventures  of  our  young-  friends;  they  grew  oot  o'  the  melan 
choly  state  o'  the  kingdom:  oor  youth  were  not  the  ag 
gressors. 

"  The  troop  o'  the  Life  Guards  were  stationed  in  oor  vicinity 
to  watch  oor  movements,  and  oor  religious  meetings,  sir- 
named  Conventicles.  Thae  military  supervisors  o'  spiritual 
affairs,  hae  been  made  acquainted  wi'  the  fact  o'  a  growing 
spirit  o'  liberty,  and  a  consequent  opposition  to  tyranny, 
amang  oor  youth  o'  the  College  o'  Glasgow.  And  it  has 
alarmed  the  prime-movers  in  these  inquitous  measures  against 
Scotland,  inasmuch  as  this  spirit  has  shown  itself  amang 
the  young  noblemen,  and  those  o'  the  better  sort,  as  weel  as 
amang  the  sons  o'  the  clergy.  They  had  seen  some  morti 
fying  proofs  o'  this  :  and  some  o'  them  had  den.  felt  it. 

"  When  the  Curates  o'  the  neeghbouring  parishes,  had,  in 
their  usual  way,  of  a  sabbath,  called  over  the  names  o'  their 
parishioners,  to  find  oot,  wha  had  been  speelin'  ower  the 
fauld  dyke,  and  heinously  transgressin'  by  lending  their 
presence  to  a  Conventicle ;  instead  o'  being  at  their  ain 
parish  Church ;  and  when  the  curate,  with  the  zeal  o'  a  ser 
vant  o'  the" 

"Bewaur  o'  unguarded  words," — cried  the  Princi 
pal,  as  Sir  William  was  casting  about  in  his  mind  for  a  pro 
per  word, — "  Ye  mean  to  say, — a  servant  o'  his  Maist 
Saucred  Majesty  Charles  II.  I  ken  weel,  the  curate  o' 
Cruikethoum :  he  wad  prefer  that  alliance  to  that  of  hea 
ven!" 

"  Weel,  weel !"  cried  Sir  William  with  a  quizzical  nod, — 
•*  When  this  spiritual  servant  o'  his  Maist  Saucred  Majesty, 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE   STUARTS.  £5 

handed  to  aposse  o'  the  Life  Guards,  whom  he  baptized — 
his  ruling  Elders, — the  names  o'  the  delinquents, — and  also 
o'  a'  these  vvha  were  suspected  o'  squintin'  the  wrang  way, 
— often  did  the  students  way-lay  these  ghostly  inquisitors, 
wi'  their  military  escorts,  and  after  giving  them  a  gude  drub 
bing  ;  compelled  them  to  gie  back  their  ill-gotten  gear. 

On  one  occasion,  lately,  Burleigh  at  the  head  o!  a.posse 
o'  the  students,  met  Kennoway  andWattie  Hepturn,  wi'  a 
few  troops,  and  the  hopefu'  Curate  o'  Cathcart,  near  the 
hoose  o'  Hamilton  o'  Aikenhead.  Thae  worthies  Avere 
dragging  alang  that  leal  and  religious  gentleman,  and  some 
o'  his  family  to  the  jail ;  as  a  preparatory  step  to  his  paying 
his  respects  to  the  thumbkins  and  bootkins,  before  the 
Honourable  the  Cooncill  at  Edinburgh. 

The  Collegioners,  after  an  animated  speech  frae  oor  young 
hero,  formed  in  gude  order,  sic  lyke  as  was  befitting  men  o' 
the  red  gown,  when  about  to  receive  military  men  returning 
frae  sic  wark. — They  were  armed  wi'  clubs  o'  hawthorn : 
One  or  two  only  had  fire-airms.  The  troop,  with  their 
grave  chaplain,  the  said  Curate, — made  a  full  halt,  and  en 
tered  into  parlance.  They  were  in  no  condition  for  sic  a 
rencountre.  The  worthy  Chaplain  and  his  reformin'  asso 
ciates  had  loaded  the  horses  wi'  a  huge  pile  o'  blankets,  and 
the  linen  o'  the  gude  lady  o'  Aikenhead ,  whilk  like  prur 
dent  soldiers,  they  were  carryin'  off  for  the  double  purpose 
of  weakenin'  the  resources  o'  the  enemy,  and  of  compensat 
ing  themselves  for  his  Majesty's  scrimpit  wages.  At  the 
head  o'  the  military,  on  a  bit  dun  coloured  shalty,  rode  the 
chaplain,  the  Curate  o'  Cathcart,  in  his  white  bushy  wig, 
and  his  broad  brimmed  hat,  writh  the  flap  turned  up,  ortho 
dox  like,  in  front.  He  had  not,  it  seems,  deemed  it  below 
the  standard  o'  correct  morals,  himself  to  aid  his  worthy  as 
sistants  in  his  vocation,  and  discipline  his  refractory  parish 
ioners.  They  had  aften,  like  gude  shepherd  collies,  helped 
him  on  the  sabbath  days  to  ca1  the  ewes,  tae  the  richt  knows 
— and  intil  the  haly  faulds  o'  his  church. — And  he,  in  his 
turn,  out  o'  sheer  kindness  and  gratitude,  helped  them  to 
tak  their  pay  for  their  trouble — frae  the  wicked  delinquents. 
The  Curate,  in  fact,  had  a  huge  bundle  o'  blankets  behind 
his  reverence — on  his  nag,  but  then  it  had  been  consigned 
to  him  on  account  of  Wattie  Hepburn. 

Burleigh  began  the  parlance  wi'  mock  solemnity.     "  We 


46  THE  WHIGS  or  SCOTLAND: 

are  meikle  grieved,  beloved,  that  we  hae  to  interrupt  yer 
godly  conversation,  gude  and  holy  Mr.  Curate:  and  yer  pi 
ous  and  edifyin'  lesson  on  sound  morals ;  whilk  we  see,  ye 
are  enforcin'  upon  yer  maist  hopeful  and  unco  religious  no 
vices  there.  But  we  soldadoes  o'  the  thorn  club" 

"Who  art  thou,  varlet" — cried  Hepburn  stopping  him 
short, — "  who  darest  at  the  head  of  these  callans,  interrupt 
the  royal  Life  Guards  of  his  Most  Sacred  Majesty  ?  I  see 
that  you  do  not  disguise  the  fact  that  you  are  Glasgow  stu 
dents  !  But  I  swear,"  (added  he,  with  an  oath  of  the  court 
fashion.)  "I  will  cleave  thee  to  the  brisket — if  you  choke 
up  the  passage  which  I  am  peaceably  pursuing  along  the 
king's  high  way." 

"Bide  a  wee  bit, — beloved,"  cried  Burleigh, — "and  learn 
a  lesson  frae  the  swollen  fox  in  the  fable.  Ye  canna  get 
through  this  narrow  gate,  until  ye  disgorge  this  ill-gotten 
gear.  And — you,  stubborn,  ancient  knave,  you,  reverend 
braggart !  We  shall  teach  your  reverence  ae  lesson  o1  sound 
morals" 

Here  the  troopers  were  bringing  round  their  carabines ; 
and  just  as  they  were  a  preparing  to  fire,  Burleigh  gave  a 
signal,  and  his  ambuscade,  frae  behind  the  hedge  fell  stoutly, 
club  in  hand,  on  the  flank  and  rear  of  the  Curate  and  his 
military  associates.  In  a  giffy  the  carabines  and  pistols  were 
dashed  frae  their  hauns.  And  sae  weel  applied  clubs  waur 
laid  on  their  shoulders  and  hurdies — that  they  saw  naithin1 
but  clubs ;  and  felt  naithin'  but  blows.  The  Curate  rolled 
oot  ower,  frae  his  shalty,  like  a  bag  o'  wool.  But  he  very 
dexterously  contrived  to  get  his  bundle  o'  blankets  into  his 
arms — not  only  to  break  his  fa' — but  what  was  na  less  his 
concern, — to  serve  the  purpose  o'  a  target,  to  ward  aff  the 
heavy  blows  o'  the  students;  who  had  not  yet  learned  the 
courtesy  o'  acknowledging  the  person  o'  a  plunderer  to  be 
sacred — be  he  e'en  curate  or  soldier. 

As  the  military  claimed  the  undivided  attention  o'  ilka  ane 
o'  the  students,  that  Burleigh,  their  captain  protem,  micht 
na  get  hurt,  the  curate  soon  got  an  opportunity  of  gathering 
himself  up,  out  o'  the  midst  o'  his  blankets,  into  which  he 
had  rolled  himself  during  the  process  o'  the  belabourin' — 
and  he  betook  himsel  into  an  adjacent  thicket,  wi'  the  loss  o' 
his  hat  and  wig. 

The  troopers  being  speedily  overpowered  and  disarmed — 


OR,  THB  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.'  47 

for  the  students  were  sax-times  their  number — search  was 
made  for  the  Curate,  that  there  micht  be  nane  to  carry  tales. 
He  was  sune  found,  lying  coiled  up,  like  a  hurchin,  wi'  his 
huge  bald  pate,  stuck  in  amang  the  brambles  and  whins, — 
while  he  was  dolefully  singin'  and  greetin' — 

"  By  Babel's  streams  we  sat  and  wept," 

His  fears  being  calmed,  on  an  assurance  given  that  no 
lives  would  be  taken;  a  council  was  held;  and  it  was  re 
solved  unanimously  by  our  gentlemen  students,  J^irst:  That 
the  curate  and  the  soldiers  should  carry  the  plundered  goods 
back  to  the  place  whence  they  were  abstracted,  Second:  That 
each  one  o'  the  marauders,  not  exceptin'  their  chaplain, 
should  carry  them  on  their  backs — their  horses  being  led 
before  ilka  ane  o'  them  in  single  file. 

All  this  was  scrupulously  done — the  curate  being  entitled 
to  the  honour  of  takin'  the  lead ;  and  the  students,  weelairmed, 
as  far  as  the  weapons  o'  the  conquered  foemen  went  for  that 
purpose,  marching  in  close  column;  and  each  o'  the  dra 
goons  being  under  the  strict  surveillance  o'  a  file  to  prevent 
surprise. 

And  third,  it  was  resolved,  that  the  haile  band  o'  marau 
ders  should  be  marched  on  Rutherglen,  the  ancient  head  o' 
the  lower  ward  o'  Lanrick:  that,  being  caught  in  the  act  o' 
carrying  affthe  gudes  and  gear  o'  his  Majesty's  subjects,  the 
curate  and  dragoons  should  be  marched  on  horse-back;  wi1 
their  faces  to  the  horses  tails;  their  coats  turned  inside-out, 
to  hide  the  king's  livery,  that  nae  disgrace  micht  be  cast  on 
it-*-their  hands  bound  ahint  their  back  wi'  pease  wusps — or 
in  lack  o'  that,  wi'  yett  straw  rapes  ;  their  heads  bare — a'  the 
length  o'  that  lang  street  o'  the  Borough:  their  swords  borne 
before  them  wi'  their  points  reversed ;  and  he  wha  had  the 
strongest  voice  \vas  to  proclaim  on  the  ears  o'  the  gude  peo 
ple,  their  said  crime — that  the  red  coats,  and  all  whilk  it 
concerned,  micht  hear  and  fear,  and  du  nae  mafa  sic  deeds  o' 
darkness.  And  a'  this  was  scrupulously  dune,  amid  roars 
o"  laughter,  and  the  huzzas  o'  the  boys,  and  citizens  o'  the 
gude  auld  whiggish  Borough ! 

Anither  circumstance — and  this  is  a  fair  picture  o'  the  times, 
— occured  ae  sabbath  day,  in  anithei  parish;  whilk  madte 
Burleigh  still  more  obnoxious  to  the  lifeguard's  men. 

Burleigh  and  his  fellow-students,  having  received  intelli 
gence  of  what  usually  took  place  there,  were  on  the  spot  in 


48  THE  WHIOS  or  SCOTLAND: 

gude  time.  Young  Lord  Annandale,  Lord  Sample,  and  Lord 
Mauchlin,  noAv  collegioners, — I  maun  speak  it  oot,  Mr. 
Principal — waur  o'  the  party.  After  service,  the  curate 
presented  himself  at  the  altar.  And  havin'  adjusted  his  wig, 
and  fixed  his  coontenance  into  a  rather  severe  aspect ;  he  pro 
duct  d  the  roll  o'  his  parishioners ;  and  proceeded  in  a  so 
lemn  monotonous  voice,  to  call  ower  their  names  in  order 
to  discover  the  delinquents,  with  a  view  to  hand  them  ower 
to  the  proper  military  discipline.  Having  finished  this  dis 
gusting  service,  and  noted  wi'  precision  a'  the  names  o'  the 
absentees — whilk  he  handed  to  his  military  aid  slandin'  hy ; 
he  came  forward  a  step  or  twa,  and  waivin'  wi'  his  haun  he 
addressed  the  audience  thus. 

"  The  cooncil  o'  his  Majesty's  government  have,  further, 
made  it  the  duty  o'  a'  the  ministers  o'  the  haly  apostolic 
church,  within  oor  laun',  to  ascertain, — to  wit, — wha  are  in 
oor  churches  frae  the  neighborin'  parishes, — and  are  no 
orderly  at  their  ain  parish  churches." 

He  then  gave  his  signal  to  the  chaplain  o'  his  military 
aids ;  and  instantly  a  file  o'  soldiers  occupied  each  o'  the  doors 
— shutting  them  a'  except  the  front  door.  There,  a  double 
line  o'  military  were  stationed.  And  as  the  haile  congrega 
tion  moved  out  under  this  inspection,  ilka  individual,  whom 
the  curate  did  not  know  personally,  was  compelled  to  swear 
that  he  was  not  from  a  neebourin'  parish — but  a  gude  ho 
nest  lamb  o'  his  ain  fauld — an'  nae  strayin  gimmer.  If  there 
were  any  strayin'  sheep  there — or  if  any  individuals  were 
unwillin'  to  swear,  they  were  fined  on  the  spot.  If  no  money 
was  found  in  their  pockets,  then  they  teuk  the  upper  gar 
ments  o'  the  men;  and  the  plaids  and  bibles  o'  the  females.* 

As  the  curate  and  soldiers  went  through  this  new  piece 
of  their  pastoral  service,  and  while  the  congregation  moved 
ofFin  rotation,  he  deemed  it  due  to  his  sacred  function  to  ex 
plain  and  give  reasons  the  while.  "  That  we  du  this,  is  his 
Sacred  Majesty's  gude  wull  and  pleasure,  wha  is  king  and 
head  o'  the  church  o'  England,  whilk,  to  the  eternal  confu 
sion  o'  a'  the  rebels,  and  cantin'  psalm-singin'  Covenanters, 
is  now  established  by  law  in  this  Scottish  realm.  The  king 
is  the  head  o'  the  church — absolute,  and  supreme  in  a'  things, 

*  This  is  no  fiction :  it  is  recorded  history.  See  "Woodrow,  Crook- 
shanks,  aud  Cock's  histories. 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  49 

to  make  and  to  mend ;  to  baud  and  to  bind ;  to  prescribe  and 
to  fix  the  mode  o'  our  worship,  and  the  form  o'  oor  church 
government.     We  maun  believe  as  he  believes,  and  pray  as 
he  prays  in  a'  thae  things.     Nane  but  wicked  Whigs  baud 
the  doctrine  o'  resistance,  or  self-defence.     Nane,  beloved, 
but  cantin'  hypocrites,  refuse  to  place  his  conscience  at  the 
direction  o'  his  Maist  Sacred  Majesty.     What  richt  hae  you 
or  I — puir  craters  !  to  think  anent  religious   affairs, — or 
anent  oor  sauls,  or  the  form  and  the  mainer  o'  worship — ex- 
ceptin'  it  be,  allenarly,  according  to  the  laws  o1  the  land,  by 
king  and  cooncil  established.     Awa'  wi'  yer  arbitrary,  and 
tyrannical  parliaments,  wha  thwart  his  Majesty,  and  downa 
let  him  put  his  hauns  in  the  people's  pockets  to  tak  what  his 
Saucred  Majesty  needs.  The  king  can-  du  nae  wrang,  God 
bless  him.  To  oppose  this,  is  to  oppose  the  Lord's  anointed. 
To  fecht  against  this,  is  rebellion.      And  "  rebellion  is  as 
the  sin  o'  witchcraft."     Yes!  beloved,  and  I  hope  there  is 
na  ae  wicked  Whig  within  thae  wa's — to  draw  doon  on  us 
the  judgments  o'  the  Almighty ;  by  foul  heresy  and  rebellion ; 
or  ane  wha  would  venture  to  "  mutter  or  peep," — or  e'en  to 
whisper  the  doctrine  o'  resistance,  to  his  absolute  supremacy 
based  on  his  divine  richt.    He  wha  doubteth  on  this  matter 
is  condemned  if  he  doubt.     La  !    beloved,  what  then  wull 
become   o'  him  wha  adds  the  crime  o'  fechtin'  against  it. 
Come,  forward,  then,  dearly  beloved, — pass  oot,  pew  by  pew : 
it's  a'  for  oor  gude,  and  edification !" 

As  the  Curate  ran  on  in  this  vile  cant  of  the  Tory  ser 
mons  o'  the  day, — for  this  edifying  doctrine  they  preach, 
ilka  sabbath  day, — he  put  himself  beside  his  military  re 
formers,  who  fined  and  "  fleeced,"  every  delinquent,  and 
suspected  person.  And  their  zeal  was  quickened  by  the 
liberty  granted  by  the  Cooncil  to  take  payment  on  the  spot, 
for  their  trouble  and  loyalty,  in  putting  doon  treason :  for 
the  military  are  judges,  executioners,  and  p^rymasters, — a' 
at  the  expense  o'  the  lives,  gudes,  and  gear  o'  the  lieges. 
Hence  Charles'  work  is  dune  wi'  surprising  fidelity ! 

Oor  students  presented  themselves  in  a  body,  last  of  all, 
before  these  spiritual  supervisors.  Burleigh  marched  in 
front,  as  he  uttered  in  a  thundering  voice : — "  Give  place, 
thou  canting  hypocrite !  What  honest  man  e'er  gave  cre 
dence  to  this  Tory  canto'  thine?  Verily,  if  tools  like  thee, 
miscreant,  knave !  could  be  found  to  give,  in  sufficient 
VOL.  i. — E. 


50  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

numbers,  practical  credence  to  this  precious  doctrine  o' 
thine,  preached  at  the  bidding  o'  Clarendon,  ye  wad  sune 
hae  Scotland  on  the  bread  o'  her  back,  like  the  trodden 
doon  kintry  o'  the  Turks.  This,  then,  is  yer  sabbath  day's 
wark,  in  wooing  ower  the  sons  and  dachters  o'  Scotland,  into 
the  gudely  faulds  o'  prelacy !  And  you,  soldiers,  wha  wear 
the  livery  o'  yer  kintry ;  and  wha  used  to  fecht  for  Scot 
land's  king,  and  laws, — you  noo  mak  yersels  the  thocht- 
less  tools  o'  a  miserable  tyranny ; — you  plunderers  o'  yer 
fellow-citizens,  and  the  Kirk  o'  God; — bandits  I  and  nae 
mair  soldiers !  Dogs !  give  place  to  yer  masters !" 

"  Bravo !"  shouted  the  whole  squadron  of  the  students,  as 
they  rushed  forward,  and  threw  themselves  pell  mell,  upon 
the  soldiers ;  who  being  hitherto  witnesses  of  passive  obedi 
ence  on  the  part  of  the  simple-minded  people, — were  thun 
derstruck  at  this  sudden  resistance ;  and  who,  moreover,  be 
ing  too  much  encumbered  with  the  plundered  garments  o' 
the  gude  parishioners,  were  in  nae  condition  to  aid  them 
selves, — or  the  priest  who  had  sae  eloquently  preached  the 
doctrine  o'  passive  obedience.  Before  they  could  disen 
cumber  themselves,  the  Collegioners  had  fallen  on  the  mili 
tary,  wi'  their  thorn  clubs,  and  fists ;  and  had  dealt  them 
such  lusty  blows,  that  in  a  brief  space,  ilka  soldier  there, 
and  the  curate  likewise,  lay  groanin'  and  sprachlin'  in  the 
dust ! '  They  were  promptly  disarmed ;  so  that  when  they 
recovered  their  senses,  our  young  heroes  were  ready  to 
combat  them  afresh,  and  with  their  own  weapons. 

A'  this  was  done  in  a  space  of  time,  shorter  than  what  I 
hae  taken  to  describe  it ;  amid  the  shouting  and  huzzaing  o' 
the  congregation. 

It  was  an  unfortunate  circumstance  that,  in  the  heat  o' 
this  action,  young  Lord  Mauchlin  happened  to  name  Bur- 
leigh,  their  leader.  That  instant  Wattie  Hepburn  turned 
his  eyes  with  a  ferocious  glance  on  him :  but  the  sudden 
overthrow  of  Wattie  and  his  party,  prevented  the  meditated 
blow  at  him.  But  Wattie  had  treasured  up  his  name,  and 
figure,  in  his  memory :  and  he  had  nursed  his  wrath  to 
keep  it  hot !" 

"  And  verily,  oor  adventure,"  said  Cargil,  taking  up  the 
narrative,  "  was  by  nae  means  calculated  to  cool  his  wrath, 
or  erase  Burleigh  from  his  memory. 

I  had  received,  by  a  trusty  haun,  while  in  my  conceal- 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  51 

ment,  at  Dame  Margaret  Craig's, — a  message  to  meet  the 
sufferers,  in  a  great  Conventicle  on  the  Clyde.  It  was  a 
sma'  thing  for  me  to  put  my  life  in  my  haun,  and  meet 
them.  I  ne'er  yet  stude  twa  calls  frae  God's  afflicted  peo 
ple.  My  time  speeds ;  aud  I  maun  hasten  to  du  a'  my 
wark! 

"  The  place  of  our  meeting  was  a  favourite  retreat  on  the 
banks  o'  the  Clyde.  We  approach  it  by  a  narrow  defile, 
and  a  kittle  pathway  in  the  water's  edge, — where  we  star 
tion  our  canny  sentinels.  Over  our  heads  are  projected  a 
pile  of  rocks,  grey  and  venerable,  with  their  coverings  of 
lichens,  and  different  species  of  the  stanraw  :*  and  sending 
forth  from  their  dizzy  cliffs  the  mountain  ash,  and  ever 
greens  :  Lower  down  the  aspen  shakes  its  quivering  leaves : 
and  a  few  venerable  oaks,  covered  with  moss,  send  forth 
their  towering,  paternal  boughs  over  the  whole. 

"  In  the  distant  perspective,  and  on  the  opposite  bank  of 
the  Clyde,  on  a  projecting  rock,  are  seen  the  dark  turrets 
ofBothwell  Castle,f  rising  over  the  ivy-clad  towers  cf  that 
massy  and  magnificent  pile, — once  the  dwelling-place  o' 
the  proudest  nobles  of  Scottish  fame;  the  Murrays,  the 
Douglases,  the  Cummings,  and  the  Hamiltons.  Oppo 
site  to  this,  the  bold  Craig  o'  Blantyre  rears  its  head, 
crowned  wi'  its  native  brush-wood,  and  from  behind  it, 
peer  dimly  the  ruins  o'  the  auld  house  of  the  Priors.  Be 
fore  us  extends  the  broad  expanse  o'  the  Clyde,  which 
glitters  gaily  in  the  sun-beam, — as  it  rolls  its  slow  and  sil 
very  wave  to  the  bosom  of  the  ocean. 

"Buried  in  this  romantic  scenery,  have  I  spent  the  days 
and  nights  o'  my  lonely  and  perilous  wanderings.  And 
often  hae  the  hearts  o'  our  sufferers,  as  well  as  mine,  Striven 
to  forget  our  sorrows,  in  our  sympathy  with  gladsome  na 
ture,  shining  and  rejoicing  on  ilka  hand. 

"  Far  frae  the  haunts  o'  men,  among  the  oaks  o'  Lee,  or  o' 
Draffan ;  or  buried  in  the  shady  groves  o'  the  Clyde,  or 
the  grassy  cliffs  o'  Loudon  Hill,  have  we  listened,  the  live 
long  day  o'  our  hidings,  to  the  notes  o'  the  lark  carroling 
it  high  in  air ; — and  the  yellow-hammer  with  its  simple, 
melting  note ; — and  the  merry  redbreast's  loud  chirrup, — 

*  A  peculiar  moss,  which  grows  on  the  face  of  rocks. 
f  The  ancient  Botlmell  Castle. 


52  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  ! 

alas !  it  only  reminded  us  of  past  joys ; — and  the  merle 
pouring  his  notes  of  deep,  soft,  and  richest  tone,  filling 
rocks  and  vale  with  the  echo  of  his  sweetest  music,  the 
only  merry  rival  o'  the  mavis  and  the  blackbird. — But  we 
had  hardly  yielded  ourselves  to  the  enchantment  of  the 
reverie ;  and  felt  the  sad  remembrance  of  past  scenes, 
never  to  return, — beginning  to  flit  over  our  busy  memo 
ries,  and  wringing  a  tear  o'  delicious  recollection  frae  our 
eyes,  when  we  were  suddenly  roused  from  our  troubled 
dreams,  by  the  fierce  clangor  o'  the  bugle  note:  or  the 
prancing  tread  of  the  Life-guard's  horse :  or  the  deep  bay 
ing  o'  the  blood-hound  guiding  the  man  o'  blood  to  the 
hiding-place  o'  the  wanderers. — Oh!  man!  man! — Man 
is  the  worst  enemy  to  man !  How  lovely  all  nature  looks 
and  smiles  !  E'en  the  bleak  winter's  day  has  charms  for 
me,  under  the  smilings  o'  infinite  goodness !  But  the  pre 
sence  o'bloody  men  turns  the  paradise  of  nature,  into  a  wil 
derness  !  The  sweet  music  o'  the  grove  is  drooned  by  the 
long  protracted  howling  of  the  blood-hounds  ;  and  the  sol 
dier's  heavy  death-note  o'  the  sloggan  !  And  these  sweet 
spots  o'  nature, — the  romantic  and  enchanting  scenery  o' 
our  native  land,  is  profaned  by  the  foot  o'  foreigners,  and 
blood-thirsty  men  whose  eye  keenly  spies  out  the  helpless, 
shivering  victim  o'  tyranny ;  and  hunts  him  down  as  he 
does  the  red  deer  o'  the  forest!" 

"Pardon  me,  my  masters!"  added  the  venerable  man. 
after  a  sudden  pause ;  "  my  puir  auld  broken  heart  must 

hae  vent  to  its  griefs." "Weel,  %s  I  was  saying," 

continued  he  with  a  reviving  air,  '•  we  met  for  the  wor 
ship  o'  God,  in  this  retreat.  Our  swords  were  by  our 
sides ;.,  our  carabines  and  spears  lay  glittering  on  the  with 
ered  leaves.  The  song  of  praise  floated  in  plaintive  "  Mar 
tyrs,"  on  the  sighing  blast.  We  uttered  our  prayers  and 
our  praises  on  the  ears  o'  HIM  who  hears  the  cry  o'  the  poor 
and  needy.  Our  troubles  and  sorrows  were  for  a  moment 
forgotten  in  the  heart-stirring  devotions  o'  the  day.  Nor 
did  we  forget  to  breathe  in  forgiveness,  the  name  o'  our 
cruel  persecutors,  in  our  devotions :  nor  those  o'  their 
slaves  in  livery  of  royalty,  who  might  that  moment  be 
speeding  their  course  to  the  work  o'  blood. 

"  The  sun  was  near  his  setting,  and  we  had  uttered  oor 
last  prayer,  and  oor  thanksgiving.     The  wanderers  had 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  53 

ta'en  their  leave  o'  their  pastor,  and  o'  each  ither — as 
those  do,  wha  might  ne'er  again  look  on  each  ither  in  this 
warld;  and,  wi'  their  Avives  and  their  weans,  were  returning 
in  groups,  through  the  leafless  woods.  Wi'  Burleigh  and 
his  youthfu'  comrades  attending  us,  we  had  passed  through 
the  copse- wood,  on  the  north  side  o'  the  river ;  and  had 
reached  the  open  plain  through  which  the  great  road  passes 
from  Hamilton  to  Glasgow.  They  had  attended  the  meet 
ing  weel  airmed.  And  mair  in  their  daffin,  than  wi'  ony 
serious  expectation  o'  using  such  a  weapon,  they  had  imi 
tated  the  new  implement  o'  war,  which  some  o'  them  had 
seen  used  by  the  Heelan  Host  in  their  descent  frae  their 
hills  into  the  Lalands.  That  is  to  say, — they  had  contrived 
to  fix  their  poignards  on  the  muzzle  o'  their  carabines  ;* 
and  were  sporting  themselves  my  youthful  guards  to  Bal- 
ormock. 

"  In  a  moment  o1  fearful  surprise,  we  heard  the  distant 
trampling  of  horses — as  if  in  full  gallop, — in  the  quarter  in 
which  we  beheld  the  evening  smoke  of  Glasgow  rolling  off 
in  lazy  volumes.  And  we  heard,  in  an  instant  after,  the 
bugle-note  calling  to  the  onset,  a  small  number  o'  resolute 
horsemen,  now  rushing  into  view.  They  had  seen  the 
gleam  reflected  back  by  the  arms  of  our  youthful  company, 
— and  were  urging  their  speed  into  fury. — A  distant  hollow 
shout  was  heard  far  in  oor  rear — and  a  shrill  wailing  o' 
female  voices.  We  thocht  that  it  came  frae  the  quarter  in 
which  the  main  body  o'  my  beloved  flock  had  been  dis 
persing  to  their  houses.  They  had  heard  also,  and  had 
seen,  from  the  adjacent  heights,  the  Life  Guards  rushing 
on  that  very  point,  through  which,  they  knew,  we  were 
shaping  our  way. 

"  At  the  first  moment  o'  surprise,  we  halted.  Every  breath 
was  suppressed :  Every  eye-ball  was  strained  on  the  vision 
which  burst  so  suddenly  on  our  view. 

"  Burleigh  Stewart !;)  exclaimed  the  whole  of  the  youth 
ful  band,  as  if  in  one  breath. 

"  Your  captain  is  ready,  my  brave  lads  !  I  thought  I 
heard  a  strange  sound  on  the  stillness  of  eve ;  and  I  had 

*  This  early  and  rude  imitation  of  the  bayonet,  was  found  in  ths 
Highland  Host,  and  formed  a  part  of  their  weapons,  which  were  aeen 
as  they  passed  through  Glasgow  to  the  West,  in  1677. 

E2 


54  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

my  eye  on  that  suspicious  quarter.  Stand  to  your  arms, 
my  lads  !  and  be  firm.  You  will  now  find  the  use  of  those 
military  lessons  which  we  hae  taken  for  oor  amusement  in 
oor  idle  hoors!  Noo,  see  that  ilka  ane  o'  ye  hae  loaded 
yer  carabine  weel ; — and  screw  on  yer  poinards."  They 
obeyed  their  youthful  commander,  in  perfect  silence,  and 
in  gude  order.  Burleigh  was  in  the  meantime  urgin'  me 
to  betake  mysel  into  a  place  o'  safety. 

"Retire," — cried  my  gallant  young  friend:  and  I  saw 
him  dash  a  tear  frae  his  eye — "  Retire,  father,  if  you  love 
us :  You  cannot  aid  us.  And  you  are  the  butt  and  mark 
of  their  fellest  vengeance." 

"  I  cannot — and  I  will  not  do  it :"  I  could  only  get  time 
to  say :  "  If  a  sacrifice  must  be  made  on  this  spot,  let  my 
blude  stream  wi'  yours.  In  truth  it  is  too  late  to  urge  me : 
already  the  foemen  are  on  us.' " 

"  Burleigh  flew  to  young  Lord  Annandale, — issued  his 
orders,  and  fell  in  at  the  head  of  his  youthful  troop.  But  I 
thocht  all  was  in  vain.  We  breathed  oor  fervent  prayer. 
"  Noo  is  the  hour,  and  the  power  0'  darkness !  We  are 
sorely  beset,  and  in  great  distress:  We  see  nae  escape  for 
these  dear  lads!  Good  Lord!  Receive  thy  puir  auld  trent- 
blin'  servant ,  Let  me  be  the  sacrifice  :  But,  Och  !  spare — 
spare  those  dear  lads,  the  hopes  o1  their  kititry — and  the 
stay  o'  their  parents'  hearts !  Oh !  let  not  their  sun  go 
down  at  noon  /  *  *  *  *"• 

"  I  threw  myself  into  the  midst  o'  them.  The  troopers 
were  near  us — and  in  full  gallop.  "  My  brave  masters," 
cried  Burleigh,  "when  ye  hae ta' en  a  gudevizzey,  and  hae 
fired  to  some  purpose — you  will  ground  your  carabines : — 
and  presenting  your  poinards  to  the  foemen's  horses,  you 
will  bear  a  steady  haun.  They  canna  break  our  rank. 
Fire — and  God  be  wi'  the  innocent." 

"  They  fired — and  the  dragoons  fired  their  pistoletts  at  the 
same  instant.  None  o'  us  fell.  We  received  some  severe 
wounds  only.  Our  carabines  did  mair  execution  than  their 
pistols.  Some  o'  the  troopers  fell.  The  rest,  in  a  deathlike 
silence,  and  Avith  ferocious  looks,  galloped  on  us  with  a  view 
to  break  oor  rank, — and  to  trample  us  doon. — But  their 
horses — not  being  the  best  trained — shrunk  aside  from  our 
bristling  poinards.  A  strong  party  of  our  youth  formed  to 
their  front,  and  with  the  butt  end  of  their  carabines  firmly 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  55 

fixed  in  the  ground,  received  the  troop  as  they  formed  and 
jralloped  down  on  us — and  thus  kept  them  at  bay, — while 
another  party  of  us  kept  up  a  well-directed  fire  from  the 
rear  of  those  who  were  kneeling.  Several  of  their  men 
tumbled  from  their  saddles.  They  reeled :  they  retreated. 
It  was  only  a  feint.  They  wheeled, — and  returned  on  us, 
at  full  gallop. 

"To  the  richt,  and  left, — wheel — and  open," — cried  Bur- 
leigh.  We  opened  in  an  instant,  and  their  line  passed 
through  the  opening,  without  killing  one  o'  us  with  their 
long  swords. 

"Form  front  again,  and  receive  the  enemy."  Again 
the  horses  shivered,  and  turned  aside  from  our  spears ; — 
or  stopt  short  ere  they  reached  us — though  the  furious 
soldiers  plunged  the  rowels  into  their  flanks. — They  re 
treated  to  some  distance :  their  number  was  reduced  : 
they  formed  into  a  close  column  of  several  horses  deep ; — 
and  came  on  us,  in  good  order,  at  full  speed. 

"Open  again," — cried  Burleigh  j  "and  see  that  ye  move 
out  beyond  the  reach  o'  their  broad  swords — keep  close 
together,  this  aince.  Remember  the  deeds  o'  yer  fathers. 
Hurra  !  for  auld  Scotland  ! 

"  We  wheeled  suddenly,  and  left  them  space.  Wattie 
Hepburn  was  on  their  right.  He  had  singled  oot  Burleigh 
and  me.  But  by  the  sudden  reining  up  of  his  courser,  to 
turn  him  on  us,  when  at  full  speed — he  came  to  the  ground 
wi'  a  tremendous  crash !  And  his  bridle  arm  struck  us 
both  to  the  ground.  In  the  moment  o'  danger  the  human 
frame  is  nerved  wi'  unusual  power.  Though  this  huge 
man  rolled  over  us, — we  were  instantly  on  oor  feet.  Bur 
leigh  looked  round  on  Annandale.  "  Noo  dear  Annan  ! 
sa ve  your  comrades :  my  hands  are  full," — cried  my  gene 
rous  deliverer.  Hepburn  still  clung  to  the  bridle  o'  his 
horse, — whilk  dragged  him  alang ; — for  he  was  aware  o' 
the  consequence  if  he  lost  his  horse.  With  tremendous 
imprecations  he  breathed  vengeance  and  death.  By  the 
time  that  he  was  disentangled,  I  had  thrown  a  sword  o' 
ane  o'  the  fallen  dragoons,  to  Burleigh.  He  threw  his 
carabine  to  me , — and  faced  his  antagonist  exultingly  wi' 
the  sword. 

"Noo  we  are  safe — fear  nought, — Father,"  cried  he,  "I 
feel  always  at  hame  wi'  this." 


56  THE  WHIGS  or  SCOTLAND: 

"  He  glanced  his  eye  at  Annandale :  he  saw  him  forming 
his  front  rank  as  usual.     Burleigh  placed  his  back  towards 
his  company, — and  beckoned  to  me.     I  threw  myself  into 
the  midst  of  his  associates  in  the  rear.     Conscious  that  he 
was  no  match  for  this  truculent  life-guard,  Burleigh  was 
satisfied  with  merely   warding   off  his  blows,  while   he 
receded  gradually  on  his  company, — and  drew  Hepburn 
up  to  a  point,  which  he  saw  would  throw  him  in  a  di 
rect  line  before  his  own   troops.     It  succeeded  perfectly. 
The  troopers  approached    with  rapidity; — but   suddenly 
flinched :  and,  by  a  side  movement  they  carried  Hepburn 
away  before  them,  and  prostrated  him   under  their  feet, 
this  was  done  just  at  the  instant  that  he  was  flourishing, 
and  closing  with  Burleigh.     At  the  next  approach  of  the 
desperate  troopers ; — we  heard  a  loud  hurra  in  oor  rear. 
It  was    oor  friends,  with  whom  we   had   parted    at    the 
conventicle.     With  a  loud  shout  they  cheered  oor  gallant 
little  company,  and  rushed  in  between  us,  and  the  enemy. 
— At  this  moment  I  must  have  fainted.     As  I  gazed  on 
my  old  friends  approaching,  and  heard  their  soul-stirring 
cheers,  I  felt  the  whole  vision  suddenly  melted  awa  frae 
before  my  darkened  eyes,  and  from  my  memory.     I  knew 
nothing  mair  till  I  opened  my  eyes  on  my  worthy  freen 
the  laird  o'  Torfoot,  who  was  pourin'  water  on  my  face,  by 
the  side  o'  a  wee  icy  murmurin'  brook,  in  a  thicket  o' 
saughs,  and  boortree.* — I  had  lost  meikle   blude  in  the 
wound  received  by  the  first  fire  o'  the  enemy.     And  I  felt 
mysel  slowly  recoverin  frae  weakness. — It  was  noo  nearly 
dark.     I  could  perceive  that  the  tumult  was  ceased.     And 
the  distant  shout,  and  the  trampling  o'  horses,  and  the  report 
of  irregular  firing  came  fitfully  on  oor  ears.     And,  at  last, 
the  bugle  note  sounding  a  retreat  died  away  gradually  on 
the  stilly  ear  of  nicht. 

"My  deliverer  and  I  were  in  awful  suspense.  I  was 
afraid  to  break  silence.  I  trembled  even  to  put  a  question. 
At  last  the  laird  observed — "that  he  feared  the  worst  o1  it 
for  the  young  collegioners.  As  I  carried  you  off" — con 
tinued  he,  "  the  foemen  dashed  through  the  midst  o'  them 
— as  their  leader  for  an  instant  was  thrown  off  his  guard, 
amid  the  loud  cries  o'  CARGIL  L.CARGIL  L.I  saw  wi'  a 

*  Anglice,— Elder  tr«o. 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  BTUART8.  57 

kind  o'  a  glint  the  Collegioner's  doon,  and  aneath  the 
horse's  hoofs.  I  heard  their  shrieks.  I  thought  I  saw 
Burleigh  fall, — I'm  sure  it  was  he, — and  Annandale — 
under  the  awfu'  neive,  and  sword  o'  the  foeman  chief,  and 
sax  ither  troopers,  who  directed  their  fury  on  that  quarter" 

Sae  spak  Torfoot.     And  I  was,  my  masters,  in  awfu' 

suspense,  during  thae  sorrowfu'  days  o'  my  confinement. 
As  soon  as  I  could  raise  my  weary  limbs, — and  hold  up 
my  auld  pow,  I  hirpled  up  hither:  and  lauded  be  HIS 
haly  name — I  hae  seen  my  brave  deliverer  alive,  and  richt 
weel !" 

"And  sae  also  is  Annandale,  and  ilka  soul  o'  us,"  cried 
Burleigh,  who  had  resumed  his  seat  again — "Be  HIS 
name  praised :  we  did,  indeed,  fall  in  the  confusion,  caused 
by  the  twilight ;  and  a  moment's  anxiety  about  your  fate  fa 
ther  Cargil, — But  we  escaped  mortal  wounds  from  under  the 
horse's  feet.  And  oor  freends  having  joined  us,  we  pre 
sented  to  the  foemen  a  threatening  front.  The  moment  that 
Hepburn's  eye  caught  this  unexpected,  and  imposing  ac 
cession  to  oor  strength, — and  perceived  the  flashes  o'  ooi 
carabines, — he  sounded  a  retreat,  and  retired  amid  a  volley 
fired  at  random  from  our  ranks, — as  wi'  youthful  enthu 
siasm,  we  pursued  them ! 

"  This  ferocious  soldier  had  heard  my  name  mair  than 
aince ;  and  he  suspected  that  I  belonged  to  the  college. 
On  the  evening  on  which  my  adventure  fell  oot — he  had, 
while  watching  his  opportunity,  cast  his  slee  eyes  adown 
the  outer  ground  of  the  College  garden :  and  he  had  spied 
me — ere  I  was  aware  o'  his  presence.  And  in  turning  at 
the  end  o'  my  walk,  he  threw  himsel  ower  the  garden  wa1, 
and  set  on  me  suddenly. 

"  I  had  some  kind  o'  intentions  o'  takin'  thee  afore  the 
Cooncil" — said  he  with  a  fierce  smile — as  he  drew  his 
sword — "that  thou  mightest  glorify  God  in  the  grass- 
market — as  thy  betters  hae  done  afore  thee ; — but  this 
same  slow  process  wad  na  satiate  Wattie's  soul  wi'  deep, 
and  sweet  revenge ! — Thou  hast  crossed  my  path  again 
and  again" — continued  he  with  a  malignant  scowl — as  he 
adjusted  his  heavy  sword, — "And  thy  last  villanous  inter 
ference  took  oot  o'  my  very  grasp,  thae  three  thoosan'  gude 
siller  marks,  for  Cargil's  head, — after  I  was  as  cock-sure 
of  it,  as  if  it  had  been  dangling  at  my  saddle  bow ! — Now, 


58  THE  WHIOS  OF  SCOTLAND:    " 

Whiggamore !  let  thy  sword,  and  the  power  o'  thy  God  de 
fend  thee,  if  they  can  !  Thy  head  wull  compensate,  in  some 
sma'  measure,  for  the  loss  o'  Cargil's." 

"  This  flourish  relative  to  "  my  sword's  defending  me," 
was  in  consequence  of  his  seeing  my  drawn  sword  already 
in  my  hand.  It  was  not  the  language  of  an  honourable, 
though  misguided  man,  permitting  me  time  to  draw.  Had 
I  been  unarmed,  I  should  hae  been  favoured  with  nae  speech 
on  the  occasion.  The  unarmed  peasantry  against  whilk 
Claverse  and  his  bandits  wage  war,  are  not  so  honoured  : 
the  butchery  is  done  in  silence,  and  a  horrid  promptness. — 
We  fought ! — you  know  the  rest. — I  shall  say  nothing  o' 
the  silent,  and  desperate  effort  of  self-defence,  on  my  pairt : 
— or  o'  the  deep-settled  purpose  o'  murder,  whilk  distorted 
my  assailant's  face,  wi'  the  fury  o'  hell ! — Had  Sir  William 
been  a  few  short  moments  later,  I  should  have  shared  the  fate 
of  oor  martyred  brethren.  My  body  would  have  been  trod 
den  under  the  heel  of  the  ferocious  soldier:  and  my  severed 
head,  under  the  hammer  o'  the  Cooncil's  executioner,  wad 
hae  been  looking  down,  this  day  frae  the  high  spike,  on  the 
West  Bow  o'  Embroch!" 

A  convulsive  shudder  passed  over  every  individual  in  the 
group,  as  he  uttered  these  words. 

"  Oh  !  my  kintry," — exclaimed  the  Principal,  his  voice 
stifled  with  grief  and  indignation, — "  What  miseries  are 
brought  on  thee  by  prelates,  wha  hae  na  the  bowels  o1 
mercy;  and  by  oor  treacherous  nobles :  and  by  a  prince,  the 
toolo'  Clarendon, — ignorant,  indolent,  licentious  ; — and  wha 
cares  less  for  his  prostrated  kintry  and  his  bleeding  subjects, 
—than  the  hounds  o'  his  kennel !" 

"  Ay  !  gude  my  worthy  Principal," — replied  Cargil  with 
one  of  those  keen  glances  of  paternal  reproof,  for  which  he 
was  so  remarkable,  among  his  friends, — "  It  is  weel  said : 
but  e'en  sae  says  ilka  ane  o'  oer  nobility ;  ay !  ilka  ane  o' 
oor  maist  cauldrifo  Scotchmen  ! — that  is, — if  they  hae  felt  a 
looner  frae  the  foeman.  We  hae  the  benefit,  in  that  case,  o' 
their  indignation,  set  forth  in  weel  set  phrase  eneugh  !  If 
they  hae  basked  in  prosperity  through  an  excess  o'  neutrali 
ty, — we  are  edified  by  their  weel  jointed  and  clamorous 
praises  o'  sweet  liberty !  They  cry  ye  shame  on  all  tyranny 
in  lugubrious  exhortations.  But  move  they  ae  finger  to 
help  us  ?  Respond  they  to  the  spirit  of  our  gallant  Whigs, 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  59 

whose  voice  wi'  awful  warning-,  calls  to  Scotland's  deliver 
ance,  Oh  !  when  the  harvest  of  OUR  toils,  and  bludy  suffer 
ings  has  come: — and  when  the  very  bairns  shall  see  that  for 
all  the  liberty  and  independence,  in  the  Kirk  and  State, 
whilk  they  enjoy  as  Scotchmen,  they  are  indebted  to  the 
Whigs  o'  Scotland's  Killing  Times, — then  let  them  not  for 
get  our  memory, — nor  usurp  the  honours  due  to  the  WHIGS  ! 
— But,  my  gallants  !  time  speeds ;  let  us  hence." 

On  uttering  these  words,  Cargil  arose,  and  taking  Bur- 
leigh  in  his  arms,  he  kissed  him  with  paternal  affection : 
And  having  uttered  his  blessing  on  all  the  rest, — he  beckon 
ed  to  Sir  Robert  Hamilton,  and  the  youth  who  had  entered 
with  him,  to  follow  him ;  and  they  retired  to  their  retreat 
beyond  the  Molindinar  Burn. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

"This  Lara  marked,  and  laid  his  hand  on  his: 
It  trembled  not/in  such  an  hour  as  this  : 
His  lip  was  silent,  scarcely  beat  his  heart, 
His  eye  alone  proclaimed.     '  We  will  not  part ! 
Thy  band  may  perish,  or  thy  friends  may  flee, 
Farewell  to  life, — but  not  adieu  to  thee  /' " — BIRON. 

Within  the  grey  walls  of  the  venerable  college  of  Glas 
gow,  there  was  no  more  that  deep  silence,  which  indicates 
intense  application  to  literary  pursuits — and  which  is  inter 
rupted  only  by  the  hourly  bustle  of  youth  pressing  intoths 
recitation  halls:  or  retiring  in  to  the  stillness  of  their  cham 
bers.  There  were  jarring  elements  already  operating  within; 
and  putting  forth  their  violence.  And  the  distant  bruit 
of  arms  over  the  land  was  heard  by  the  restless  and  impa 
tient  students.  The  decided  superiority  alone  of  the  Whig 
students  in  point  of  numbers — prevented  open  war  between 
them  and  the  Tories. — The  king's  council  had  long  watched, 
with  anxiety,  the  growing  principles,  which  manifested  them 
selves  among  the  better  class  of  youth,  in  the  University  pf 
Glasgow,  and  of  Edinburgh.  They  had  repeatedly  threat4- 
ened  to  strike  a  blow  which  would  suspend  the  exercises  of 


60  THR  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND : 

both  institutions :  and  disperse  the  dangerous  youth.  The 
Glasgow  Professors,  and  the  regents  had,  many  of  them 
at  least,  taken  the  oaths  ;  and  made  their  peace  by  conces 
sions.  But  it  was  not  in  the  power  of  the  Faculty,  espe 
cially  when  none  of  them  took  a  zealous  lead  in  the  affair, 
to  check  the  growing  spirit  of  liberty :  it  was  easy  to'perceive 
the  practical  result  of  the  principles  of  the  Whigs,  as  they 
were  developed  strikingly,  before  the  public  eye,  under 
their  cruel  sufferings.  The  martyrs  were  undaunted  in  the 
hour  of  death.  They  exhibited  at  once,  the  unshaken  cour 
age,  and  coolness  of  the  old  Romans ;  and  the  ardent  and 
enlightened  piety  of  the  primitive  Christians.  Hence,  by 
every  public  execution  of  a  martyr  at  the  Grass-market ;  or 
on  the  Gallowlee — the  royal  cause  lost  ground.  In  the  de 
portment  of  the  sufferers  who  stept  in  to  fill  there  place,  there 
was  an  artless,  and  unaffected  display  of  virtues  at  once, 
so  awful  and  solemn  ;  so  lofty  and  chivalrous,  that  the  en 
thusiastic  spirit  of  liberty  was  thereby  excited  in  the  bosom 
of  all  ranks — especially  of  the  ingenuous  youth,  to  an  im- 
measureable  degree.  And  in  the  same  proportion  did  the 
tyranny  of  the  Court,  and  cold-blooded  cruelty  of  the  Prelates, 
who  had  hitherto  braved  public  opinion,  send  over  every 
heart  a  deep  indignation  and  abhorrence.  And  all  this  only 
waited  its  opportunity,  and  the  hour  of  retribution.  And  the 
revolting  barbarity  of  the  Council,  as  if  sporting  with  the 
feelings  of  the  nation,  seemed  to  spare  no  pains  to  nurse  this 
feeling.  The  mangled  limbs  of  the  martyrs  were  seen  sus 
pended  on  the  battlements  of  Castles,  at  the  grating  of  the 
prison  windows,  and  in  the  most  frequented  streets  of  the 
cities.  At  Kirkudbright  was  set  upon  a  high  pole,  the  head 
of  Major  McCulloch,  with  those  of  his  gallant  associates. 
At  Glasgow  cross  hung  the  heads  of  others  of  these  brave 
men  who  were  dispersed  at  Pentland.  At  the  gate  of  Lanark 
there  was  a  long  row  of  human  arms  and  hands,  with  their 
fingers  pointing  toward  heaven  ;  on  the  spot  where  these 
religious  patriots  had,  with  uplifted  hands,  sworn  the  Coven*- 
ants.  And  from  the  dark  walls  of  Edinburgh,  on  their 
lofty  iron  spikes  there  looked  down,  for  years,  the  head  of 
that  illustrious  patriot  and  Christian  nobleman  the  MARQUIS 
01  ARGYLE — and  the  head  of  that  eloquent  statesman  LORD 
WARRISTON  :  and  near  these  was  the  skull  of  the  immortal 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  61 

JAMES  GUTHRIE — which  has  been  left  to  bleach  in  the  sun 
and  rain,  for  twenty-seven  years  ! 

In  these  shocking  spectacles,  which  met  the  eye  every 
where,  Scotland  saw  the  threatened  prostration  of  religion 
and  the  extinction  of  her  liberty.— The  busy  multitude  look 
ed  on  without  concern :  Matrons  mourned  their  murdered 
husbands  and  sons :  the  weeping  orphan  kneeled  down,  and 
clasping  his  little  hands,  at  the  foot  of  the  gallow's  tree,  im 
plored  the  cruel  men  '  no  to  kill  his  puir  faither.'  The  pa 
triot  looked  on — and  he  shed  no  idle  tears.  For  he  was 
planning,  in  silence,  the  redemption  of  his  country.  While 
every  ingenuous  youth,  as  he  passed  by,  felt  a  thrill  of  horror 
— and  grasped  more  firmly  the  hilt  of  his  sword ! 

The  first  public  demonstration  of  this  spirit  was  at  the  re 
turn  of  the  foremost  division  of  the  "  Heeland  Host,"  after 
the  failure  of  the  Council  in  their  attempts  to  press  the  BOND 
on  the  West  and  South  of  Scotland. 

"  Meet  me  at  mine  hostess',  when  the  evening  star  is  up ;" 
— Cargil  had  whispered  to  Burleigh — "and bring  the  youth 
wi'  you,  in  whom  you  have  confidence." 

The  twilight  had  now  disappeared  in  the  West ;  and  the 
evening  star  was  sending  her  purple  light  over  the  lofty 
spire  which  rises  from  the  centre  of  the  Heigh  Kirk ;  the 
evening  hum  of  the  busy  city  was  dying  gently  away ;  and 
the  kettle  drum,  and  bugle  note  of  the  Life  Guards,  from 
their  neighbouring  tents,  were  no  longer  heard  on  the  still 
ear  of  a  February  night — when  Burleigh  Stewart,  and  a 
large  company  of  his  comrades,  hastened  along  the  Rotten- 
Row,  and  hied  them  over  the  Molindinar  Burn :  and  over 
banks  and  braes,  through  Cockmuir  and  up  the  Lang  Glen, 
to  the  sequestered  cottage  of  Dame  Margaret  Craig. 

They  presented  themselves  at  the  door.  All  was  silence; 
but  a  large  fire  of  peats  and  pine-knots  was  sending  forth  a 
merry  blaze  from  the  hearth. 

"  There  must  be  some  mistake  in  this  thing,  Burleigh," 
— whispered  Lord  Mauchlin  : — "  Here  are  verily  no  indi 
cations  of  a  conventicle" 

"  Leave  that  to  me" — said  Burleigh,  as  the  door  opened, 
and  sent  a  blinding  light  on  their  faces. 

"  Come  ye  peaceably,  my  braw  gallants,"— cried  the 
Dame — "  when  the  clash  o'  airms  and  the  souch  o'  war  is 
a'  ower  the  laun?" 
VOL.  i. — F. 


62  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

*'     J*h 

She  was  a  tall  and  erect  figure  who  uttered  this.  Her 
features  were  full  of  the  light  of  peace :  and  her  eyes  sent 
forth  a  look  of  smiling  kindness  and  affection.  Her  dark 
hair,  yet  untinged  with  grey,  was  combed  in  front  and  en 
veloped  in  a  coiffure  of  no  small  dimensions.  For  the  rest 
— a  small  snow  white  mutch,  from  under  which  her  glossy 
hair  fell  down  on  her  shoulders  and  bosom  ;  the  long  slim 
waist,  decked  out  with  plain  and  tasselated  ornaments,  the 
quilted  petticoat,  the  white  apron,  the  white  stockings,  with  red 
cloaks,  completed  the  tout-ensemble.  Dame  Margaret  Craig 
was  born  and  bred  a  gentlewoman.  And  like  those  whom 
she  sheltered,  she  had  seen  better  days.  But  no  one  could 
say  that  he  ever  heard  her  repine;  or  call  her  lot  hard. 
"  He  whom  I  serve,"  she  would  say,  "  was  sae  puir,  that 
he  had  na  whare  to  lay  his  head.  I  hae  a  cottage  and 
plenty,  and  freens  ; — can  I  repine  ?" 

The  sufferers  had  their  signals.  And  the  faithful  Dame 
was  speedily  convinced  that  none  but  friends  stood  before 
her. 

They  were  conducted  into  the  clean  and  neatly  sanded  par 
lour  :  and  thence  into  a  small  bed-room,  the  floor  of  which 
was,  according  to  the  fashion  of  the  age,  tastefully  covered 
with  green  rushes.  The  walls  were  lined  with  pannel 
work  of  dark  oak — which  seemed  to  be  a  row  of  door's. 
Between  these  false  doors  were  smooth  surfaces  of  the  same 
materials.  One  of  these  was  a  real  door,  and  admirably 
concealed.  It  opened  into  a  narrow  and  dark  turnpike,  as 
their  conductress,  in  the  Scottish  style  called  it.  The  house 
was  situated  close  on  the  bank  of  a  stream,  which  rushed, 
and  murmured  close  by,  over  its  stony  channel,  between 
two  walls  of  rocks,  which  were  surmounted  with  copse- 
wood  of  hawthorn,  sloe  and  bramble  bushes,  with  here  and 
there  a  rown  tree.  A  natural  cave  had  been  in  this  spot ; 
and  the  cellar  of  the  house  had  been  united  to  it  by  a  narrow 
passage. 

Our  party  of  young  men  descended  into  the  cellar,  and 
thence  into  the  passage  which  led  to  the  cave.  Voices  were  now 
heard.  And  upon  opening  the  door  and  lifting  a  temporary 
curtain  formed  by  a  highland  plaid,  they  found  themselves 
within  the  cave.  From  the  roof,  a  lamp  was  suspended, 
which  shed  a  dim  light  on  the  inmates.  The  floor  was  cover 
ed  with  green  rushes :  and  the  members  of  the  conventicle  sat 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  63 

on  low  rude  benches,  with  cushions  rudely  formed  out  of 
wusps  of  sprits.  Burleigh  pronounced  the  respectful  saluta 
tion  of  the  "  gudeen."  Cargil  received  them  with  cordial 
embraces ;  and  gave  them  assurance  that,  when  they  visited 
him  at  his  retirement  on  the  Moose,  in  the  cave  of  Wallace, 
he  would  be  in  a  condition  to  receive  them  in  more  spacious 
apartments.  "As  it  is,  my  gallants,"  continued  he,  "better 
to  me  far  is  a  wee  cave,  wi'  my  mistress  liberty,  and  a  gude 
conscience ;  than  the  palace  of  the  sceptered  priest ;  or  the 
gilded  cieling  o'  the  heartless  tyrant !"  So  saying,  he 
presented  them  to  the  assembled  sufferers  :  and  led  them  to 
rustic  sofas  formed  of  piled  up  bundles  of  rushes  and  sweet- 
scented  sprits  and  ling. 

The  speaker  whom  they  interrupted,  and  who  still  kept 
his  position,  was  a  short  thick  man,  with  an  animated  and 
interesting  countenance ;  in  a  plain  suit  of  black ;  with 
white  woolen  stockings.  It  was  BAILEY  WARDLAW.  He 
went  on  amid  a  general  call  of  "  Bailey  gang  on." 

"Exercise  is  over, — ye' 11  ken, — my  young  lads" — said 
he,  by  way  of  preface,  to  the  Collegioners.  "  And  we  are 
on  business  in  which  we  seek  your  aid."  Then  clearing 
his  throat,  and  smothing  back  his  hair,  he  \vent  on.  "  Ye' re 
weel  awaur,  ilka  ane  o'  ye  ;  my  masters,  that  the  HOST — 
the  HEELAN  HOST  . . .  we  hae  been  speakin'  o'  my  noble 
freens."  ....  And  he  bowed  to  the  students  ....  "-was  called 
frae  their  Heelan  hills  to  put  doon  an  insurrection  in  the 
South  and  West  o'  Scotland,  which  was  never  planned,  nor 
e'en  thoght  o'.  The  South  and  West,  and  especially  the 
shires  o'  Ayr,  Galloway,  and  Lanark,  were  full  of  Conven 
ticles,  they  said.  The  heritors  o'  ilka  parish  declared  they 
could  na  put  them  down.  For  lik  as  the  auld  Gauls,  o' 
antiquity,  juked  the  bludy  minded  Caesar,  when  they  sailed, 
by  water  frae  ae  toon  till  anither  ;  as  by  laun  he  beleagered 
them :  and  whensomever  he  was  cock-sure  o'  having  them 
fast — plump,  like  a  water  moose,  they  dived  and  rose  up 
again  in  anither  place — as  weel  prepared  to  oppose  him  as 
ever.  E'en  sae  :  nae  suner  Avas  ae  Conventicle  put  doon 
in  Beith  hill,  than  another  was  heard  o'  on  Loudon  hill ; 
on  Wardlaw;  or  Cairntable;  in  Well-wood,  or  Glenmore. 
They  might  put  doon  ae  conventicles  in  the  Aird's  woods 
or  Barscob.  Ten  new  anes  arose  in  place  o'  ane  in  Lanark, 
or  Nithsdale,  or  through  Galloway.  The  doctrine  o'  the 


64  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

haly  evangel  o'  the  Maist  Highest,  is  something  sae  deevers 
frae  ilka  thing  else,  and  in  a  special  manner  frae  the  fushion- 
less  trash  o'  thae  puir  craters,  the  curates  and  priests ;  that 
nae  power  on  earth,  can  mak'  the  West  and  Southland  peo 
ple  yield.  Thae  men's  meat  is  Scotchman's  pushion ! 
Hech,  Sirs  !  Du  they  think  that  they  can  force  a  Scotchman's 
conscience,  intil  the  slaps  o'  their  faulds ;  and  hear  \vi'  ony  kind 
o'  acceptance  at  a',  sic  craters  as  the  curates  ?  What  wilfu' 
ignorance  o'  human  nature  !  Their  morals  gar  us  scunner : 
and  their  doctrine  o'  passive  obedience,  and  the  divine  richt 
o1  kings  and  bishops,  heaven  save  the  mark !  puts  us  a' 
clean  red  wud  mad ! 

The  Cooncil,  therefore,  has  in  this  new  Bond,  whilk  I 
hae  been  speakiri'  o',  made  a  last  desperate  thrust  at  us  a'. 
It's  a  kin'  o'  ne  plus  ultra.  They  wha  tak  that  Bond  and 
Aith,  do  bind  themsels,  their  wives,  and  bairns,  girt  and 
sma',  ne'er  to  shelter,  or  comfort  outed  ministers.  And 
mairover,  they  maun,  after  the  spirit  of  the  ancient  Norman 
law,  wha  hanged  the  man,  if  the  wife  wha  stole  the  gudes 
— could  na  be  found — they  maun  e'en  bind  and  oblige 
themsels  for  their  wives  and  bairns :  ay !  and  their  servant 
laddies,  and  girls,  their  hostlers,  cooks,  tenants,  and  cot 
ters,  to  the  bargain — that  they  wunna  gie  their  counte 
nance  to  a  conventicle ;  nor  house  room,  nor  e'en  a  cup  o' 
cauld  water  to  a  minister  wha  preaches  in  the  fields  ; — nor 
to  ane  o'  the  sufferers — were  they  e'en  o'  their  ain  flesh  and 
blude. — 

Noo, — as  I  live  by  bread,  the  Cooncil  hae  been  attemptin* 

to  cram  doon  this  deevilish  morsel" r— "  Order,  Bailey !" 

— cried  half  a  dozen  of  the  Covenanters  at  once. 

"  I  meant  to  say," — cried  the  Bailey  stammering — "this 
daumed  morsel...." 

"  Hoot,  toot !  Avaur  and  waur,  man  !"  cried  several  voices 
afthe  same  time. 

"Just  call  it  the  BOND,  worthy  Bailey," — cried  Car- 
gil ; — "  It  needs  nae  epithets  to  mauk  it  blacker.  It  strikes 
all  epithets  clean  dead,  in  every  true  Scotchman's  ears." 

"  Weel,"  resumed  the  Bailey,  hemming  and  coughing, 
as  he  sought  out  an  acceptable  phrase, — "  the  Cooncil  hae 
been  tryin'  to  cram  this  same  BOND  doon  oor  thrapples. 
And  ye  see,  my  masters,  in  order  to  make  a'  things  sickar, 
and  to  enforce  the  BOND  on  the  Heritors  o'  ilka  parish  in 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  65 

the  South  and  West,  the  Managers  sent  doon  the  Heelan 
Host,  ten  thousand  strong, — the  wild  heeland  men  frae 
Athole;  in  order  to  spulzie  the  lieges  o'  their  gudes  and 
gear ;  to  live  at  free  quarters ;  and  to  hae  a  free  indemnity 
against  a'  pursuits,  criminal  and  civil,  for  injuring,  or  kill 
ing  ony  wha  might  oppose  them.  And  to  gie  a'  proper 
effect  to  this  singular  mode  of  disciplining  a  nation,  by  a 
new-fashioned  kind  o'  reformers  too, — to  wit,  thae  travel 
ling  inquisitors,  the  Heelan  Host,  the  Council  has  sent  a 
Commission  o;  ghostly  supervisors  ower  them.  And  some 
o'  oor  auncient  nobles  are  the  members  thereof, — such  as 
the  marquis  o'  Athole ;  the  earls  o'  Mar,  and  Murray,  and 
Glencairn :  alas  !  he  is  no  lik  his  loyal  and  religious  fore 
bears  : — and  the  earls  o'  Wigton,  Linlithgow,  Airley,  Perth, 
and  Ross.  These  Scottish  nobles, — shame  fa'  them, — that 
they  should  du  the  like !— did  press  the  Bond  wi'  the  maist 
indecent  zeal ! 

But  they  a'  failed  totally, — praise  be  blessed !  and  I  am 
prood  to  say't,  oor  ain  good  shire  o'  Lanark  stood  clear  oot, 
and  stark, — Avi'  the  exception  o'  a  few  daidlin  bodies,  o'  the 
waurer  sort  o'  heritors,  and  fewers,  wha  cam  frae  hame, 
without  their  consciences,  prepared  to  swallow  the  BOND, 
or  any  thing  else  that  might  be  offered  them,  to  mak  peace 
aad  save  their  gear ! 

When  this  utter  failure,  touching  the  Bond,  was  made 
known  in  Council,  Lauderdale  put  himself  into  a  towering 
passion :  and  ripping  up  the  lang  row  o'  buttons  on  his 
wide  sleeve,  he  laid  bare  his  huge  arm  o'  purple  flesh,  lik 
the  ham  o'  ane  ox,  and  swore  ane  oath,  in  terrible  blas 
phemy,  by  Jehovah,  that  he  Avad  mak  man,  woman,  and 
bairn  tak  that  same  Bond. 

But  there  has  been  a  perfect  failure,  in  this  particular,  on 
the  part  o'  the  Council.  They  hae  bent  the  bow  until  it 
has  snapt.  The  best  men  o'  the  laun  view  their  measures 
wi'  abhorrence  ;  and  hae  refused,  in  the  firmest  tone,  to  tak 
the  Bond,  or  show  it  any  favour, — such  as  the  Deuk  o'  Ha 
milton,  the  earls  o'  Cassils,  and  London, — the  father  of  my 
noble  young  freen  there, — together  with  my  Lords  Mont 
gomery,  Cochran,  Bargenny,  and  Cathcart." 

The  Bailey,  after  a  few  additional  remarks,  laid  down 
his  project ;  which  was  speedily  matured,  and  accepted  by 
the  meeting.  And  this  project,  the  Bailey  insisted,  should 

F* 


66  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

be  executed  by  the  youth  of  the  city,  with  the  students  at 
their  head.  And  the  meeting  broke  up  on  Burleigh  and 
his  noble  young  associates  giving  their  pledge  that  they 
would  go  through  with  it.  They  only  asked  the  favour 
that  Bailey  Wardlaw  should  be  with  them. 

As  the  college  bell  tolled  the  hour  of  twelve,  next  day, 
an  immense  number  of  youth,  including  all  the  Whig  stu 
dents,  and  a  great  proportion  of  the  enlightened  Tories,  to 
gether  with  the  youth  of  the  principal  families  of  the  city, — 
met  in  the  College  garden.  Young  Annandale  was  called, 
by  acclamation,  to  preside :  and  it  was  understood  that  he 
was,  next  to  the  leading  Whigs,  to  take  a  conspicuous  place 
in  this  novel  enterprise. 

The  old  Earl  his  father,  was  a  rigid  Tory,  and  a  fierce 
persecutor.  But  our  young  Lord  had  not  yet  imbibed  the 
spirit  of  old  Annandale.  He  was  a  youth  of  a  venturous 
and  daring  spirit;  such  as  usually  characterised  the  no 
bility,  and  gentry  of  the  Scottish  Border.  Proud,  fierce, 
generous,  undaunted,  he  was  jealous,  to  excess,  of  his  pri 
vileges  and  rights,  as  a  nobleman.  In  a  special  manner 
could  he  not  brook  the  novi  homines, — even  though  they 
came  forward  with  honours  and  pretensions  equal  to  those 
of  his  own  family,  who  first  blazoned  his  device  on  his  no 
ble  shield. 

He  believed  in  the  divine  right  of  nobility,  as  much  as 
did  the  Tories  in  that  of  kings  and  bishops.  It  was  the 
effect  of  nursery  flattery,  and  imposition  on  a  young  and 
fervid  imagination.  It  was  with  him  a  matter  of  youthful 
feeling :  he  could  not  argue  upon  it.  When  he  had  re 
course  to  any  argument,  it  was  that  of  club-logic.  And  all 
his  comrades  admitted  that  there  was  not  a  form  of  syllo- 
*  gism,  or  demonstration  in  the  ancient  or  modern  schools, 
which  he  had  more  thoroughly  studied  than  this.  He  was 
a  youth  of  extraordinary  bodily  powers.  Young  Perth 
only  was  his  match. 

He  had  an  especial  abhorrence  of  ghostly  nobility,  and 
lords  spiritual  The  title  of  "  Your  Grace,  the  Lord 
Archbishop" — he  could  not  hear  with  patience  or  even 
common  decency.  It  was  from  this  fixed  principle,  in 
him,  that  he  refused  the  courtly  title  to  the  Archbishop  of 
Glasgow,  before  whom  he  had  been  so  unfortunate  as  to  be 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  67 

convened  for  some  youthful  overflowings  of  his  zeal  against 
the  men  in  power,  and  their  measures. 

He  rendered  him  honour  such  as  was  due,  in  the  strict 
est  rules  of  politeness,  to  a  gentleman,  and  a  gentleman  in 
power  under  the  king.  But  he  gave  him  simply  the  title 
of  Sir. 

"  William,"  said  his  regent,  with  affection  and  respect, 
"  You  surely  forget  to  whom  you  are  speaking.  His 
grace,  the  Lord  Archbishop  is  a  greater  man  than  your 
self,  William." 

"  I  thank  you,  good  Master  Regent,"  said  the  young 
nobleman,  "  and  I  honour  your  heart  and  your  loyalty.  I 
needed  not  to  be  reminded  that  the  King,  God  bless  him !  did 
make  this  person,  a  spiritual  lord.  I  believe  in  the  King's 
power  to  make  and  manufacture  such  ware :  and  he  wull 
do  it  right,  as  long  as  he  is  the  pure  fountain  of  honour, 
and  keeps  the  streams  and  streamlets  pure.  But  the  ho 
nour  frae  the  young  decree  whilk  made  this  gentleman  a 
lord,  is  but  green  yet ! 

"  And  nobility, — I  mean  nobility,  my  masters,  is  a  fruit 
o'  true  honour,  whilk  has  had  the  ripening  and  mellowing 
o'  many  generations.  Besides,  in  my  weak  judgment,  in 
the  whilk,  however,  all  the  true  nobles,  and  sound-hearted 
commons  o'  gude  auld  Scotland,  God  bless  her !  are  deci 
dedly  united, — the  honours  o'  nobility,  and  yer  titles  o' 
yer  lordship,  and  yer  grace — Heaven  save  the  mark!  du 
sit  maist  awkwardly  upon  a  PRIEST  !  And,  mairover,"  he 
added,  as  he  drew  himself  up  to  the  full  measure  of  his 
length,  and  put  on  one  of  the  most  lofty  and  contemptuous 
looks  imaginable,  "  in  reference  to  the  present  case,  gude 
Master  Regent,  I  know  fu'  weel,  that  the  son  of  the  piper 
o!  Arbroath  here,  in  the  Archi-episcopal  chair,  is  not  onee 
to  be  named  wi'  the  son  of  my  father  !" 

As  Annandale  took  his  station  as  Preses,  he  uncovered 
with  gracefulness,  and  dignity,  his  brent  brow,  and  finely 
shaped  head,  adorned  with  a  profusion  of  yellow  curls, 
which  fell  down  in  glossy  ringlets  on  his  shoulders ;  and  in  a 
few  hurried  words,  uttered  in  a  silvery  tone  of  voice,  he  de 
manded  "  What  the  pleasure  of  the  present  meeting  was  V 
"  Break  the  ice,  Master  James !"  said  Bailey  Wardlaw 
in  a  loud  whisper ;  and  he  beckoned,  and  nodded  to  the 
youthful  companion  of  Cargil :  and  enforced  his  nods  by 


68  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

actions  suited  thereto.  For  he  actually  moved  him,  as 
they  say  in  deliberative  assemblies,  with  this  difference, 
that  the  Bailey's  action  was  a  literal  motion. 

"  The  business,  may  it  please  you,  my  masters  !  may  be 
told  you  in  one  word,"  said  master  James.  "  We  hae  as 
certained,  that  a  corps  o'  the  heelan  host,  some  twa  thoo- 
sand  strong,  is  now  marchin'  on  Glasgow,  in  its  return  tae 
its  mountains.  It  may  be  in  the  Gorballs  on  the  noon  o' 
the  second  day  hence.  And  we  call  on  you,  noble  Annan- 
dale,  and  on  you,  noble  Loudon  and  Sample,  and  the  re- 
manent  members  o'  the  gentlemen  and  burgesses  present : 
and  we  conjure  you  not  to  permit,  wi'  impunity,  these 
licensed  marauders  to  plunder  your  city,  or  to  carry  their 
defiling  presence  into  your  sanctuaries,  and  families.  Their 
hauns  are  stained  wi'  the  blude  o'  oor  fellow-citizens :  and 
they  came  loaded  wi'  the  booty  o'  peaceable  men,  wha 
plotted  nae  treason,  and  wha  executed  nae  conspiracies  : 
and  whase  forbearance  has  permitted  thae  man  o'  Athole 
to  take  themselves  awa  alive — notwithstanding  that  they 
hae  carried  themsels  wi'  mair  insult  and  cruelty,  than  ony 
im-ading  foemen  wad  hae  dune.  We  hae  nae  military  in 
whilk  wi'  can  repose  the  safety  and  honour  o'  the  city. 
And  the  nobility  and  gentry,  the  gentlemen  and  burgesses 
are  sunk  into  ane  apathy,  utterly  unaccountable.  Rouse 
we  up  the  ceevil  powers.  Whare's  the  Lord  Provost,  and 
Bailies  ?  Whare  are  their  trained  bands  ?  Whare  are 
the  volunteers, — the  brave  Presbyterian  True  Blues? 
Whare  are  the  dean  o'  Guild,  and  the  convener  o'  the 
trades  ?  Whare  sleeps  the  spirit  o'  Wallace,  or  o'  John 
Knox  ?  Are  there  nane  to  staun  up  for  auld  Glasgow,  in 
the  hoor  o'  danger  ?  " 

A  general  murmur  ran  over  the  assembly  as  he  sat  down. 
"  Let  us  march  to  the  auld  brigg :"  cried  one.  "  That 
wunna  du  "  cried  another — "  Let  us  seize  and  garrison  the 
Gorballs."  "  Hoot,  toot,  man,"  cried  another,  "that's  waur 
and  Avaur ; — They'll  set  the  wee  bits  o'  thacket  hooses  o' 
the  auld  village  a'  in  a  lowe  aboot  oor  lugs ;  and  that 
ye'll  see — and  skeyl  us  lik  a  nest  o'  bumbees."  Let's 
hasten  to  the  spat,  and  throw  up  a  fort  on  St.  Ringan's 
croft,  and  flank  it  wi'  a  sconce  or  twa,"  cried  some  with 
much  zeal.  Others  could  see  no  use  in  it.  Multitudes 
spoke  without  object,  or  any  motive.  Many  plans  were 


OR,  THE  LAST  OT?  THE  STUARTS.  6d 

proposed,  and  speedily  abandoned,  Some  spoke  aloud' — 
not  to  the  chair,  but  to  the  little  circles  of  listeners  around 
them.  And  each  of  them  had  his  own  "effectual  plan 
against  the  Highland  Host,  if  it  wad  only  be  adopted." — 
Some  were  for  springing  a  mine  on  them,  and  sending 
them  sooner  than  they  could  wish  it, — towards  the  hea 
vens.  Others  "  preferred  blawin'  up  the  auld  brigg  when 
the  main  body  should  be  fairly  on  it.  Others  proposed  to 
rush  on  them,  pell,  mell,  wi'  ony  kind  o'  Aveapon,  whilk 
chance  micht  throw  in  the  way — and  then  snatchin'  theft 
ain  weapons  frae  their  hauns,  ye  micht  streek  them  oot 
like  rizzard  haddocks  a'  in  a  heap. — Some  laughed  this 
wild  project  to  scorn — and  proposed  to  establish  a  battery 
on  the  Stockwell  end  o'  the  Brigg,  and  blaw  them  up 
at  twa  rounds,  allowing  a  thoosan'  at  ae  round — as  they 
reached  the  centre  arch  o'  the  brigg." 

Annandale  controlled  the  youthful  minds  with  prudence 
and  firmness.  At  length  Bailey  Wardlaw  after  "  suffi 
ciently  finnin"  the  pulse  o'  the  meetin',  as  he  himself  ob 
served  "  that  he  micht  tak  siccar  grun',  and  sure  coonsel," 
rose  and  addressed  the  assembly. 

"  May  it  please  you,  my  noble  Annandale, — and  you 
my  richt  gude  masters  ;  I'm  no  ane  o'  thae  Glasgow  folks 
wha  can  neer  be  perfectly  certain  that  they  are  right, 
until  they  find  themsels  followed,  or  preceded,  by  the 
many;  or  wha  neer  lack  zeal, — except  w^ien  the  public 
weal  calls  lood  for  it.  But  wha,  as  sune  as  the  multitude 
laud,  and  self-interest  brogs  on,  mak  ane  inordinate  splut 
ter  in  warslin'  and  sprachlin'  up  the  brae ! 

Neither  wad  I  be  ane  o'  yer  het-bluded  Lawlanders, 
wha  at  the  very  show  o'  contradiction,  get  clean  daft,— 
nay,  red  wud  mad,  by  the  gush  o'  Scottish  blude  up  to 
their  weak  heads !  I'm  ay  for  moderate  measures,  lik 
my  gude  faither  afore  me.  Ay  leuk  afore  ye  loup,  was 
the  sayin'  o'  my  duce  faither,  wha  was  in  his  day,  the 
right  hand  man  o'  worthy  maister  Durham.  Noo,  my 
gallants!  I'm  not  for  fighting — I'm  not  for  spilling 
blude.  I'm  not  for  garrisoning  Gorbals,  nor  casting  up 
a  sconce  in  the  rear  o'  the  auld  biggins;  nor  in  their 
front  on  St.  Ringan's  Craft.  Na,  Na !  The  Heelan  Host 
hae  ower  lang  swords ; — they  wad  be  at  yer  briskets  afore 
ye  could  look  aboot  ye!  And  they  hae  targets,  lik'  Ho- 


70  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

mer's  shields  to  the  life — meikle  brass  doors,  to  wit,  carried 
afore  them ;  frae  whilk  oor  pistol,  and  musquetoon  bullets 
wad  skeyt  off  lik  dry  pease !  And  they  hae  heavy  ar 
tillery,  transported  at  the  expense  o'  a  thoosand  siller 
merks — and  whilk  they  made  gude  use  o'  in  the  Wast 
and  Sooth  in  the  glorious  wark  o1  blawing  up  Kirks,  and 
the  Whig's  cotter  hooses  ; — and  the  skeylM  o  conventicles! 
And  they  march  their  meikle  guns  in  their  fore  fronts  I'm 
told.  Noo,  hoo  lang  think  ye,  could  we  stand  a  bout  wi1 
sic  heavy  gear  ?  Ae  lunner  would  blaw  us  off  in  a  giffy, 
lik  ribbons,  or  peelins  o'  ingens  !  I'm  for  nae  overt  acts — 
nae  forcible  assaults  !  Na,  Na !  It's  a'  vain,"  continued 
the  Bailey, — turning  from  the  chair  to  an  objecter  in 
his  rear,  to  whom  he  continued  his  speech.  "We  canna 
get  ony  big  guns  oot,  to  match  the  enemy's  artillery. 
We  canna  muster  o'  the  city's  property,  mair  than  ane 
or  twa  lang  Tarns.  And  but  ane  at  this  day,  to  the  best 
o'  my  knowledge,  is  fit  for  service." 

"  E'en  thae  rusty  gear,  the  frichtfu'  tubalcain  lik'^pieces 
o'  wark,  hooped  wi'  iron  hoops,  whilk  for  oucht  I  ken,  hae, 
frae  the  days  o'  the  unlucky  Armada,  been  leukin'  doon  sae 
threatenin'  lik'  on  the  city,  frae  the  heichts  o'  the  Dean-side 
Brae ;  or  whilk  lurk  amang  the  auld  ruins  o'  the  bishop's 
palace  canna  be  put  into  ony  usefu'  service.  But,  my  gal 
lants,  it's  a  puir  thing  to  hae  but  ae  string  to  ane's  bow. 
For  no  to  be  rusin'  aneself,  for  self-praise  is  nae  honour : 
I  hae  na  been  idle  syn  I  saw  ye  in  the  cave."  The  Bailey 
paused,  coughed  loud,  and  took  back  his  words,  "  in  the 
cooncil  ha\  I  wad  hae  ye  understan'  me.  For  thismornin', 
e'en  by  the  peep  o'  day,  I  was  at  my  Lord  Provost's  bed 
side  ;  and  I  gat  me  the  Bailies  Anderson,  and  Zeuill,  and 
Waddel  and  Graham,  and  McKechnie,  and  the  convener  o' 
the  Trades,  and  the  Dean  o'  Guild,  wi'  a  few  ooted  Bailies, 
and  I  argied  the  point  twa  hoors,  on  my  legs.  But,  hech 
Sirs !  they  wad  na  budge.  Wad  thae  oppose  force  to  the 
troops  o'  his  Sacred  Majesty?  Wad  they  cut  their  ain 
thrapples  ?  Wad  they  fight  against  the  throne  and  the 
bishops  ?  '  A  bonny  pirn  ye're  gin  to  spin  us,'  cried  Bailey 
Zeuil,  'the  lifeguards  wad  come  ahint  us,  and  the  Heelan 
Host  afore  us  !  Why,  sirs,  auld  Glasgow  could  na  staun  it. 
She  wad  coup  the  cran.'  " 

"  Ye're  a'  braw  slaves  and  futemen,  cried  I,  ye're  glori- 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  71 

ous  passive  obedience,  and  non-resistence  men,  my  certie  I 
Sic  doctrines  ye  canna  cram  doon  a  Scotchman's  thrapple, 
His  blude's  ower  het  for't.  It  wunna  du.  Press  it  on  them 
wha  hae  neither  herns  nor  gumption ;  whae  hae  naething 
to  lose  but  traitor's  gear ;  and  Avha  will  sell  themselves  to 
harm  auld  Scotland,  God  bless  her.  And  my  Lord  and 
Bailies,  I  begin  to  jaloose  ye  a',  cried  I,  "dinna  interrupt  me, 
my  Lord,  I'm  a  member  o'  this  cooncil,  and  am  in  my  place, 
I  maun  be  heard,  nane  o'  yer  gag-laws,  my  Scotch  chafts 
wunna  bide  them,  my  tongue's  as  free  as  the  wind  on  oor 
mountains :  Weel,  Sirs,  I'm  awaur  o'  the  difeeculties  afore 
me.  It's  no  that  canny  to  live  at  Rume,  and  fight  wi'  the 
Pape !  and  he  maun  hae  a  lang  spune  that  sups  wi'  the 
Deil !  But  I'll  tell  ye,  what's  what,  my  Lord  Provost, 
and  you  Bailey  Zeuil,  wha  art  a  red  het  Tory,  ye  may 
e'en  pickle  in  yer  ain  pock-neuk,  as  my  auld  father,  the  El 
der  o'  the  High  Kirk  Session  used  to  say,  and  he  had  gump 
tion  equal  to  baith  o'  ye.  E'en  tak  yer  ain  gaite.  Let  thae 
wild  Heelanmen  in  again  wi'  their  dirks,  and  joktelegs,  and 
whangin  gullies.  Ye'll  no  get  them  to  stay  at  the  Water 
gate ;  nor  can  ye  wyse  them  up  lik  a  flock  o'  tame  geese  to 
the  Coocuddins !  There  wull  no  be  a.  wantin'  they  wha 
wad  wyse  them  anither  gaite.  And  they'll  gang  straight 
up  the  Saut  Mercat,  and  doon  the  Gallowgate,  and  amang 
the  rich  gudes,  and  gear  in  the  Tron-gate  shops.  And  my 
certie !  when  ye'll  see  the  kilted  craters  coming  in  without 
speerin'  yer  leave;  and  beginnin'  to  thrapple  ye,  and  spul- 
zie,  and  violate  yer  wives  and  sisters,  and  bairns,  [there 
wull  be  nae  danger  o'  yer  wife  and  dochters  sufFerin'  Bailey 
Zeuill !]  then  wull  ye  remember  the  words  o'  Bailey  Ward- 
law  :  and  I  wish  I  be  nae  the  Cassandra  o'  yer  Cooncil. 

"  But  to  cut  a  lang  story  short,  I  did  prevail  wi'  the  Toon 
Cooncil  at  last,  seein'  they  declined  appearin'  in  their  offi 
cial  capacity,  just  to  let  me  tak  my  ain  gaite  for  aince,  in 
order  to  save  Glasgow,  if  possible;  and,  in  ae  word,  to  act 
as  if  I  had  the  Toon  Cooncil  on  my  back,  as  it  were ;  and, 
mairover,  no  to  prevent,  or  gie  trouble  to  ony  ane  wha 
might  be  like  minded  wi'  oorsels. 

"  Noo  hear,  my  masters,  what  I  advise.  Choose  we  a 
committee  o'  active  and  sponsible  men,  and  to  their  hauns 
commit  we  the  haile  arrangement,  and  through-carrying  o' 
the  business. 


72  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND.  • 

"  I  hae  already,  at  my  ain  risk,  made  arrangements  wi' 
the  Glasgow  trained  bands,  and  volunteers.  We  wull  be 
on  the  Auld  Brigg,  by  nine  o'clock,  to-morrow  mornin'. 
And  my  masters,  let  us  multiply  oor  forces  by  this  sim 
ple  expedient.  Let  each  ane  o'  us  muster  sax  o'  oor  com 
panions,  and  bring  them  thither,  wi'  something  o'  ane  im 
posing  dress  and  armour.  Let  them  be  as  fantastic  as  a 
Scotchman's  fancy  can  devise :  thae  wild  Heelanders  dinna 
ken  the  king's  Lawlin  uniform,  frae  that  o'  their  brither 
Russ,  or  Turk!" 

This  proposal  was  no  sooner  announced  than  it  was  ac 
ceded  to,  by  acclamation :  and  the  shout  of  applause  rent 
the  welkin,  and  re-echoed  back  again  from  the  grey  walls 
of  the  College,  and  died  away  on  the  glen  of  the  Molindinar 
Burn.  Bailey  Wardlaw  was  placed  at  the  head  of  the 
committee,  which  had  the  management  of  the  whole  enter 
prise.  And  they  hastened  to  accomplish  the  work  entrusted 
to  their  care. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

"  Guns,  trumpets,  blunderbusses,  drums,  and  thunder." 

The  Bailey  and  his  committee  had  been  busy  men  all 
that  day,  and  all  the  succeeding  night.  And  by  the  aid  of 
the  mechanics,  carpenters,  blacksmiths,  and  carters,  who 
cheerfully  volunteered  their  aid  in  great  crowds,  they  had 
contrived  to  make  the  Auld  Brigg,  and  the  vicinity  assume 
an  imposing  air  of  a  strongly  occupied  military  position. 

They  had  caused  something,  which  looked  like  a  breast 
work  of  heavy  timber,  to  be  thrown  up  in  the  middle  of  the 
Stockwell-street,  fronting  the  passage  over  the  Auld  Brigg. 
And  contrary  to  all  expectation  they  had  mounted  on  it,  a 
very  threatening  line  of  heavy  looking  guns.  To  the  eye  of 
the  beholder  at  a  distance,  this  work  seemed  to  be  flanked 
by  mounted  cannons  possessing  something  of  a  new  con 
struction.  They  had  stationed  by  those  guns  tall  men,  fan 
tastically  dressed.  And  in  front  of  them,  as  if  designed  to 


OR,    THE    LAST    OF    THE    STUARTS.  73 

mask  them,  there  were  a  few  corps  of  guards  of  very  fero 
cious  looking  men,  with  every  variety  of  armour  which 
human  ingenuity,  or  sheer  necessity  could  put  into  requisi 
tion.  And  beyond  this  formidable  looking  fort,  in  the  dis 
tant  back-ground,  at  the  crossing  of  the  streets,  which  could 
be  seen  by  the  expected  Highland  companies,  as  they  as 
cended  to  the  centre  arch  of  the  Auld  Brigg,  there  appeared 
a  strong  corps  of  men  mounted  in  an  imposing  manner. 

They  had  placed  the  finest  looking  men,  and  the  best 
armed  immediately  on  the  Bridge,  and  on  each  side  of  the 
Street  to  flank  the  approaching  Host  as  they  passed  over 
the  Bridge  into  the  city.  The  students  were  dressed  in  their 
scarlet  gowns,  with  belts,  and  swords.  Each  had  a  brace  of 
pistolets  in  his  belt,  and  a  musquetoon  slung  on  his  shoulder. 
The  broad  brims  worn  in  those  days,  being  smartly  turned 
up,  lent  a  fierce  look  to  their  cocked  hats.  An  immense 
crowd  of  young  men,  of  fine  appearance,  and  tolerably  well 
armed,  poured  down  the  Stockwell  and  Salt-market:  defiled 
before  the  committee,  and  gravely  waited  their  orders. 

"  My  certes  !  the  thing  succeeds  gloriously,"  exclaimed 
the  Bailey.  "  Wha  wad  believe  it,  that -this  fine  corps  o' 
braw  Glasgovegians,  hae  contrived  this  imposing  appear 
ance,  by  clappin'  cm  a  shirt  for  a  tunic ;  and  a  yellow  rib 
bon  for  a  buff  belt,  and  their  grandmithers'  red  mantles  for 
military  cloaks." 

A  long  column  of  strong,  blackaviced  fierce  looking 
men,  next  followed.  They  were  the  carpenters  with  long 
shafted  lances  ;  and  the  blacksmiths  with  spears.  Each 
in  the  hurry,  had  fabricated  his  own  lethal  weapon ;  not 
made  for  inspection  but  for  a  job  of  terror.  These  men 
were  placed,  in  a  line,  two  file  deep,  on  each  side  of  the 
passage  of  the  Auld  Brigg.  In  short,  such  was  the  zeal, 
suddenly  inspired  by  the  alarm  of  these  marauders  approach 
ing,  for  the  city  now  rang  with  the  evil  doings  df  the  Host  in 
the  South  and  West,  that  the  committee  were  in  a  brief 
space  of  time  fully  ready  to  receive  the  Host. 

The  Bailey,  no  mean  looking  man,  was  well  mounted  on 
his  fine  grey  horse ;  and  sat  bolt-upright  in  the  huge  sad 
dle  of  the  construction  of  those  days.  His  dress  was  not 
like  that  of  a  modern  Glasgow  Bailey.  There  were  none 
of  the  courtly  velvets,  and  black  broad-cloths  about  him. 
There  was  no  gold  chain,  falling  down  in  copious  and  rich 
VOL. 


74  THE    WHIGS    OF    SCOTLAND  : 

links  over  his  breast.  These  appendages  of  the  venerable 
officers  of  justice,  whose  grave  and  majestic  carriage  creates 
respect  and  awe  iri  the  minds  of  every  beholder,  were  of  a 
later  date  by  nearly  a  century.  He  had  put  on  a  cocked 
hat  of  no  small  dimensions,  and  his  snuff  browns.  He  had 
girded  a  sword  on  his  loins  by  a  huge  buff  belt.  And,  by  an 
especial  arrangement  of  the  committee,  he  had  thrown 
over  his  shoulders  a  wide  yellow  sash,  for  the  purpose  of 
making  him  conspicuous  among  the  other  members.  And 
a  star  had  been  got  up  for  the  occasion,  and  was  fixed  on 
the  left  breast,  Avhich  for  its  size  and  its  splendour  might 
have  been  sported  by  a  Duke. 

"  These  vanities  !"  cried  the  Bailey  to  young  Annandale, 
on  whose  ancestor's  breast  this  star  had  blazed,  in  some 
more  terrible  scenes  of  conflict.  "  I  ferley  at  the  menseless 
foppery  o'  man !"  added  he,  as  he  continued  to  rub  it  brighter 
with  the  great  buff  glove,  which  extended  up  to  his  elbow. 

The  Bailey  took  his  station  in  the  middle  of  the  centre 
arch.  "  It's  canny,"  cried  he,  as  he  pranced  up  with  some 
feelings  of  pride  which  he  could  not  conceal."  "  It's  canny 
to  meet  the  faemen  here  on  Lady  Carlo w's  arch.*  And  if 
we  warna'  unco  weel  prepared  to  foregather  wi1  them,  I 
suld  be  tempted  to  offer  up  a  supplication  that  the  South  arch, 
wad  fa'  aince  mair,  as  it  lately  did,  and  that  it  micht  fa'  just 
as  the  Heelan  reivers  were  a'  fairly  on  it.  But  I'm  forgettin' 
mysel,  Master  James,  its  no  richt  to  wush  for  the  destruction 
o'  ony  body ;  not  e'en  for  the  destruction  o'  the  deevil,  as 
Jemmie  Bogue  the  weaver,  in  the  Lang  Lees,  ance  prayed, 
when  his  wee  bit  bairnie  was  deeing.  He  began  wi'  an 
intent  to  pray  that  the  deevil,  the  cause  o'  sin,  whilk  is  the 
cause  o'  deeth,  micht  be  clean  destroyed.  And  waes  me  ! 
the  crater  committed  twa  fearfu'  blunders  in  this  same  thing. 
For  he  prayed  on  his  knees  that  "  the  Lion  0'  the  tribe  0' 
Judah  micht  be  destroyed,  stump  and  rump!"  Weel! 
here  we  are  on  the  centre  arch,  on  the  very  key  stane. 
And  we  can  stow  oor  guards,  on  ilka  side,  in  sic  a  way  that 
only  four  o'  the  Athole  men,  at  a  time,  can  gang  abreast. 
And  then  we  can  maister  them  yeffectually  !" 

The  Bailey  had  for  his  aid-de-camps,  the  young  men  of 

*  Lady  Campbell  of  Carlow  insisted  on  bearing  the  entire  expense 
of  this  arch,  when  Archbishop  Rae  built  the  Jluld  Brigg  of  Glasgow. 


OR,    THE    LAST    OF    THE    STUARTS.  75 

the  committee  twelve  in  number,  all  on  horseback,  well 
mounted,  and  presenting  an  imposing  aspect.  Lord  Annan- 
dale  was  in  splendid  style  ;  and  Lord  Manchlin,  and  several 
others  were  not  much  inferior  in  appearance. 

The  good  Bailey  was  evidently  much  agitated  in  his 
novel  station.  He  was  often  heard  to  whisper  a  vow  to  the 
Almighty  for  his  most  holy  benediction  and  countenance. 
And  at  times  he  would  talk  aloud  to  every  one  who  came  in 
his  way. 

"  Ye  may  weel  lairn,  frae  the  scenes  afore  you,  maist 
beloved  youth,"  cried  he,  after  a  long  silence,  and  raising 
himself  in  his  saddle,"  "  what  ony  truly  patriotic  and  en 
terprising  man  may  du  for  his  kintry.  Only  enlichten  the 
people — only  enlichten  them  ; — just  show  them  what's  what 
; — be  disinterested,  honest,  and  undaunted ;  and  ony  man, — 
it  disna  require  a  Wallace,  God  bless  his  memory, — ony 
ordinary  man  shall  deliver  his  kintry  frae  ony  foeman. 
To  be  free,  a  kintry  only  needs  to  wull  it:  and  it  wulls  it, 
when  it's  enlightened.  Knowledge  is  strength.  An  en 
lightened  people  will  burst  through  the  strongest  chains  o' 
slavery;  ay,  were  they  even  forged  by  Sathan  himsel." 
And  saying  this,  he  reined  his  steed,  plunged  his  rowels 
into  his  flanks,  and  galloped  to  the  south  end  of  the  Bridge. 

For  just  as  he  uttered  them  with  exultation,  a  distant  roll 
of  the  kettle-drum  Avas  heard.  And  the  discharge  of  a  gun, 
from  the  advanced  guard,  announced  that  the  Athole  men 
were  within  sight  of  the  Gorballs. 

A  deep  silence  pervaded  all  ranks  on  the  Bridge.  Each 
man  stood  firm  at  his  post;  and'sent  an  inquiring  look  on 
the  Bailey,  and  his  youthful  group  of  attendants,  as  they 
returned  slowly  back  to  their  former  stations.  The  bag 
pipe  sent  forth  its  martial  music.  The  shrill  note,  and  the 
deep  and  monotonous  boom  of  the  bass,  floated  on  the  air. 
Now  it  was  slow  and  solemn :  at  another  time,  rapid  and 
harsh.  The  youthful  aids  of  the  Bailey  were  busily  decid 
ing  on  the  peaceable,  or  the  hostile  air  of  the  pibroch : 
and  divining  from  the  piper's  tune,  the  spirit  which  played 
in  the  breasts  of  these  half-savages.  The  conclusion  was 
what  every  stranger  to  the  martial  airs  of  the  Highland 
bag-pipe,  would  naturally  adopt  on  hearing  its  music.  It 
sends  forth  proud  defiance.  It  proclaims  fierce  and  un 
subdued  impetuosity.  The  sweet  note  of  peace  finds  no 


76  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

place  in  its  loud  screams,  its  tumultuous  redoublings,  and 
the  overwhelming  booming  of  its  never- varying  bass.  It 
braces  the  mind  to  terrible  deeds.  It  was  not  composed  by 
Lowland  amateurs,  nor  among  love-sick  swains ;  nor  amid 
polished  courtiers,  nor  laughter-loving  dames.  It  was  com 
posed  by  martial  spirits,  amid  the  terrible  sublimity  of  their 
mountain  scenery,  and  the  roar  of  conflicting  hosts ! 

"  I  think,  Bailey,"  said  young  Annandale,  with  some 
agitation,  "  that  you  had  better  order  up  your  cannon  in 
front ;  we  must  sweep  the  Bridge.  That  Heelan'  music 
gars  a  Lawlander's  flesh  a'  grue.  I'd  sooner  meet  a  le 
gion  o'  deils  than  thae  craters  wha  mak  sic  music!" 

Burleigh   and   Mauchlin  smiled.     The   Bailey  cast  a 

k  grave  look  on  the  youthful  speaker,  who  evidently  would 

rather  have  been  at  close  blows,  than  standing  deliberately 

at  a  distance,  biding   the  pelting,  and  threatening   of  the 

Heelan!  Bag-pipes  ! 

"  Ye  kenna  what  speerit  ye' re  of,  dear  Annandale,"  cri 
ed  the  Bailey,  who  could  with  difficulty  keep  his  own  teeth 
from  chattering  in  his  head ; — "  Hech  man !  I  must  tell 
ye,  as  a  magistrate, — hem, — hem, — that  thae  men, — hem, — 
hem, — are  no  just  at  open, — open, — hem — -war,  as  it  were, 
wi'  us  here.  Nor  hae  we  proclaimed  war  formally  as  it 
were,  against  them," — and  he  cast  his  eyes  over  his  men, 
and  his  military  preparations.  "  Na,  na,  were  that  sae,  ye 
wadna  find  Bailey  Wardlaw,  a  Glasgow  magistrate,  here- 
awa',  I  tell  you.  The  wicked  half-savages  are  the  tools  o' 
a  misguided,  and  profligate  Cooncil,  whilk  will  be  brocht 
to  its  richt  senses  ere  lang :  or  it  will  be  broken  lik  a  pots 
herd,  by  a  rod  o'  iron!  I  just  tak  thae  Heelan'  craters  in 
the  light  o'  reivers,  returnin'  frae  a  successful  spreagh ; 
whilk  their  commanders  canna  control  at  a' ;  nor  indeed 
are  they  willing,  were  they  able.  I  tak  them  just  in  the 
licht  o'  highwaymen  chased  oot  o'  the  fields  intil  the  toon ; 
and  we  place,  as  it  waur,  a.  line  o'  guards ;  and  shut  up 
ilka  nook,  and  bore ;  and  then  throw  open  the  yetts  o'  the 
Tolbooth  and  thence  compel  them,  as  it  were,  to  rin  intil 
them  ;  for  fien'  hate  o'  a  door,  or  winnoch  else,  is  there  for 
the  craters  to  rin  intil."- 

So  saying,  he  shook  Annandale  heartily  by  the  hand  ; 
and  called  on  young  Lord  Kardross,  one  of  his  aids,  to 
take  a  file  or  two,  and  "  ride  up  to  meet  the  Heelan'  men. 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  77 

Find  yer  way  to  their  commander,  and  just  tell  him  e'en  a1 
ye  see :  and  tell  him  mairover,  that  some  o'  the  ceevil  pow 
ers — ye  ken  what  to  tell  him — beg-  leave  to  salute  him  at 
the  head  o'  his  officers,  on  the  centre  arch  o'  the  auld  Brigg 
o'  Glasgow." 

Lord  Kardross  rode  up  at  full  gallop  •  and  with  hat  in 
hand,  called  out  for  the  officer  commanding.  He  speedily 
presented  himself  in  the  person  of  a  stately  Highlander,  of 
a  bronze  complexion ;  with  heavy  red-haired  eye-brows, 
and  of  a  fierce  aspect.  He  had  on  his  head  a  graceful 
bonnet,  set  on  in  an  easy  jaunting  air,  with  an  eagle  feather 
or  two,  forming  his  simple  plume.  He  demanded  in  a 
harsh  voice  "  the  wull  o'  the  Duniwassel." 

Kardross  began  with  mock  solemnity, — "  His  illustrious 
excellency,  the  commander-in-chicf,  at  the  ither  end  o'  the 
auld  Brigg,  with  the  noble  Lords,  his  right  honourable 
aid-de-camps,  waits  your  presence,  nolle  Heelan'  Sir  Chief 
tain  !  to  escort  you  through  the  liberties  o'  gude  auld  Glas 
gow.  For,  my  certie,  he  says  ye  mauna  come  intil  his 
city,  nor  walk  a  street  o'  it." 

"  Wha  is  he,  speak?"  cried  the  chieftain. 

"  He's  ane  o'  the  Toon  Cooncil :  and  nae  less  than  a 
BAILEY  !  Yer  Heelan'  Chiefs  are  naething  to  him. 
Weighed  in  the  scale  wi'  him,  the  biggest  o'  ye  a',  wad  be 
found  wantin',"  said  Kardross  with  the  gravest  face  ima 
ginable. 

"  Has  he  a  military  company  ?'.' 

"  Ye  maun  e'en  come  yer  wa's  up  and  see  for  yersel." 

"  How  many  ?" 

"  Why — not  exceeding  sax  thoosand  five  hunder,  or 
thereaboot. 

The  Highlander  started,  and  clapt  his  hand  on  the  hilt 
of  his  Andro  Ferrara,  while  he  threw  his  eyes  over  his 
own  men.  He  then  uttered  some  Gaelic  words  to  his  offi 
cers,  in  a  hurried  manner,  as  they  gathered  round  him. 

"  Sax  thoosand  five  hunder" — repeated  our  messenger 
to  him,  with  great  sang-froid.  "  Besides  his  militia  corps, 
wha  are  comin'  in  to  pay  their  respects;  and  whilk  I  see 
already  advancing  on  this  side  of  the  Clyde.  And  the 
brave  Cathcart  men  wull  be  in  yer  rear  soon." 

And  as  he  said  this,  he  pointed  to  the  Rutherglen  men 
coming  down  the  banks  of  the  river,  at  quick  march ;  and 

o* 


78  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

to  the  Govan  men,  pouring  their  strength  up  into  the  GOT- 
balls. 

"  Go,  call  up  the  three  sax  pounders,"  cried  the  High 
lander  to  an  officer.  "But  stay  a  bit — has  the  Bailey  ony 
cannon?" 

"  Only  some  thirty  lang  toms,  includin'  all  the  Quaker 
guns"  And  he  spake  truly:  for  they  were  nearly  all  of 
this  class,  non-resistance  guns,* 

Our  student  added  after  a  pause,  "  We  Sassanachs  are  a 
kittle  race  o'  people,  when  aince  fairly  roused  up!" 

"  Mean  ye,  in  blude  earnest,  to  impede  my  course?"  cried 
the  chieftan  fiercely. 

"  Why — yes — no — "  replied  Lord  Kardross,  hesitating, 
and  speaking  with  an  air  of  mysteriousness,  "  that  is  to  say, 
it  just  depends  on  your  putting  yourselves  on  gude  beha 
viour.  And  let  me  just  add  by  way  of  information,"  con 
tinued  our  youth,  as  he  cast  his  eyes,  with  some  affectation 
of  contempt,  over  the  divisions  of  the  Highland  Host, — 
"  Aiblins,  we  can  clap  some  four  stout  Sassenachs  on  the 
back  o'  ilka  ane  o'  yer  Heelan'  men,  and  may  be  sax  o'  them. 
I  hae  delivered  my  message.  We  wait  your  approach." 
And  he  rode  off  without  waiting  for  his  reply. 

The  commander  looked  after  him  for  some  time  in  silence, 
He  was  evidently  in  some  degree  of  confusion.  He  found 
himself  actually  hemmed  in.  He  formed  his  men  into  close 
rank  and  file,  six  abreast,  Avhich  he  had  to  reduce  to  four 
as  he  approached  the  centre  arch.  "  Screw  your  daggers  on 
your  musquetoons,"  he  called  to  his  men,  "and  see  that 
your  pieces  be  Aveel  loaded,  and  in  good  order.  We'll  hae 
hett  wark  o't.  We  hae  been  thus  far  tulzien'  wi1  auld 
wives,  and  weans ;  wi'  priests,  and  herd  callans.  We're 
like  to  meet  wi'  men  noo,  Seid  suas,  gillie  /"  added  he, 
raising  his  voice  into  a  scream.  "  Blaw  up  the  pibroch, 
club  yer  airms,  march  warily,  in  close  file  ;  preserve  a  deep 
seelence  :  and  be  ready  to  fire." 

He  placed  himself  at  their  head,  and  his  officers  took 
their  position  on  each  side  of  him.  And  he  pranced  along 
on  a  gallant  steed,  which  he  had  taken  out  of  the  stables  of 
the  Earl  of  Cassilis,  on  the  same  terms  as  his  father,  and 

*  These,  as  in  ships  of  later  tiiaes,  were  literally  so,  being  made  of 
vood. 


OE,  THS  LAST  OF  THB  STTT1RT3.  79 

himself  took  a  cow,  or  a  horse  from  the  stable  of  the  Sas 
senach,  who  happened  to  refuse  the  tribute  of  Black  Maifle. 
The  town's  men  and  students  looked  on  in  deep  silence, 
upon  the  mass  of  nodding  black  plumes ;  and  the  glittering 
musquetoons,  and  the  waving  sheen  tartan.  And  when 
they  arrived  at  the  centre  arch,  the  whole  of  them  in  mock 
solemnity,  uncovered  for  a  moment,  and  lowered  the  point 
of  their  swords  and  spears,  before  the  host — but  in  such  a 
manner  as  really  to  assume,  awkwardly  enough,  a  very 
ambiguous  posture,  and  doubtful  kind  of  salutation. 

At  that  moment  a  salute  was  fired  from  the  rear  of  the 
temporary  fort  in  the  middle  of  the  Stockwell.  And  the 
close  column  of  men  stationed  in  adA'ance  of  it,  wheeled 
suddenly  to  the  right  and  left,  and  presented  to  view  what 
seemed  to  be  the  muzzles  of  a  threatening  battery  of  can 
non  ;  and  the  gunners  in  their  place,  making  a.  wonderful 
display  of  their  lighted  matches,  and  waving  them  round 
their  heads  to  have  them  in  prime  blazing  order  to  fire  off 
their  cannon.  And  in  the  distant  perspective,  squadrons 
of  horsemen  were  seen  advancing,  and  defiling,  in  an  im 
posing  manner.  And  the  company  of  Carters  backed  their 
tumbrils  more  into  the  street ;  which  they  sported  before 
the  astonished  Highlanders,  as  mounted  cannon,  ready  for 
cross  firing. 

"  Conduct  the  officers,  and  forty  of  their  men,  in  advance" 
— cried  the  Bailey,  as  he  gave  a  flourish  with  his  SAVord, 
someAvhat  in  the  aAvkward  style  of  a  military  noA'ice,  and 
made  a  IOAV  boAv  to  the  Highland  chief,  and  his  staff.  They 
moved  on  at  a  quick  step. 

"  Hully — hully  a  bit,  you  the  rest" — cried  the  Bailey 
with  a  tone,  and  air  of  authority,  after  the  forty  men  and 
officers  had  passed  on.  Then  raising  his  voice  still  louder, 
he  called  out — "  Let  the  rest  of  the  Heelan'  Host  halt, 
instanter,  unless  ye  want  to  be  blaAvn  a'  intil  the  air,  like 
peelins  o'  ingens."  He  paused  a  moment,  and  added  partly 
to  the  Highlanders,  and  partly  to  his  OAvn  men,  with  a 
laugh.—  (  • 

"My  certes!  only  forty  o'  ye,  my  gallants,  shall  enter 
the  royal  liberties  o'  GlasgoAv,  at  ae  time-^-ay !  and  no  ae 
soul  mair  at  aince  :"-^-Adding  in  a  lower  tone  to  his  ass<H 
ciates.  "  Divide,  and  conquer,  eh !  as  my  duce  auld  fan 
ther,  the  Barony  Kirk-elder  used  to  say. 


80  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

As  the  Bailey  uttered  his  order,  a  line  of  his  guards 
threw  themselves  across  the  passage  of  the  bridge.  The 
Highlanders  halted.  There  was  no  officer  near  them  to 
give  them  orders.  They  looked  on  each  other,  and  muttered 
their  astonishment  and  fears. 

The  Chieftain  and  his  staff  were  meanwhile  marched 
on,  in  terrorem,  towards  the  cannon's  mouth:. then,  sud 
denly  defiled  to  the  right.  And  as  they  turned  the  corner 
out  of  the  Stockwell,  they  found,  to  their  fresh  astonish 
ment,  the  street  lined  with  stout  threatening  looking  men 
in  arms.  The  Highlanders  were  crowded  through  a  nar 
row  space  where  not  more  than  a  single  man  could  go  at 
once.  Thus  by  the  simplest  contrivance  imaginable,  they 
were  separated  from  each  other :  and  thrown  personally 
into  the  power  of  strangers. 

"My  orders" — cried  the  person  commanding  there  (it 
was  Sir  Robert  Hamilton,)  are  to  rid  you  of  your  cum 
bersome  baggage ;  in  short,  to  take  away  from  you  ilka 
thing,  whilk  ye  hae  come  by,  without  the  tedious  process 
of  buying,  and  paying  for  it.  That's  only  fair,  ye  ken,  my 
gallants !" 

One  of  his  associates,  a  Highland  student,  repeated  in 
Gallic,  this  order  of  Sir  Robert.  They  laughed  in  Sir 
Robert's  face.  "That  horse,"  added  the  commander  of  the 
student's  party,  "w?  a'  manner  o'  humility  permit  me  to  say 
it,  belangs,  I  am  just  informed,  to  Lord  Kennedy, — dis 
mount seize  him  guards — "added  he  in  a  thundering 

voice,  as  the  chief  was  drawing  out  both  his  pistols  from 
the  holsters,  and  uttering  Gallic  oaths,  mingled  in  a  gro 
tesque  manner,  with  the  court  oaths  of  Charles,  in  a  voice 
half  choked  with  rage  and  vexation.  The  guards  seized 
him  on  each  side,  and  he  was  dismounted  in  a  trice.  The 
staff  rushed  in  to  the  relief  of  their  commander,  with  a  kind 
of  howl  which  was  gradually  heightened  into  a  shriek — 
and  which  sent  the  word  "Claymore,"  loud  on  air.  It  was 
a  moment  of  frightful  confusion.  They  threw  themselves 
on  the  guards.  Fresh  guards,  consisting  of  students,  poured 
themselves  in  upon  them.  And  in  their  turn  the  forty 
men  in  the  rear  fell  upon  those.  A  fresh  supply  of  towns 
men  and  students  rushed  in  on  them.  The  swords  clashed. 
Poignards  glanced  in  the  air.  They  screamed :  they  cursed : 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  81 

they  fought.  The  women  and  children  shrieked,  and  tumbled 
down,  in  heaps ;  while  others  ran  pell  mell  upon  them,  as 
they  lay  groaning,  and  sprachling,  and  banning  those  who 
had  broken  their  limbs,  and  peeled  their  shins.  Meantime  the 
kettle-drum,  in  the  rear,  kept  up  a  constant  roll,  which  ef 
fectually  drowned  the  noise  of  the  tumult :  so  that  the  main 
body  neither  saw  their  officers,  nor,  for  this  reason,  heard 
them. 

The  result  was,  that  they  were  all  disarmed :  and  the 
officers  deprived  of  their  horses. — 


CHAPTER  IX. 


-Lochiel,  Lochiel,  beware  of  the  day  ! 


For  dark  and  despairing  my  sight  I  may  seal : 

But  man  cannot  cover,  what  God  would  reveaL 

*  Tis  the  sunset  of  life  gives  me  mystical  lore, 

And  coming  events  cast  their  shadows  before ! — CAMPBEIL. 

Order  being  in  some  measure  restored ;  the  students 
threw  themselves  in  a  circle  of  three  or  four  men  deep, 
around  the  marauders ;  and  commanded  them  to  render  up 
every  other  article  of  plunder. 

"  Search  us,  and  take  what  you  shall  find," — said  the 
chief  doggedly. 

"  No,  verily,"  cried  Sir  Robert,  "We  are  men  of  honour. 
None  of  my  men  put  their  hands  into  other  men's  pockets. 
That's  the  work  o'  highwaymen,  and  Heelan'  Hosts !  My 
orders  are  peremptory.  And  there  is  no  time  to'  be  spent 
in  parlying  wi'  sic  reivers.  Deliver  up  a'  the  gudes  and 
gear  aboot  ye ;  on  this  lang  table  put  them  a'  doon  instanter. 
Men !  make  ready — I  wull  blaw  ye  a'  to  the  Heelan'  hills, 
in  a  giffy,  if  ye  dinna,  this  instant,  deliver  up  yer  ill-gotten 
gear,  ye  base  loons,  and  reivers  !  " 

The  countenance  of  the  chief,  and  the  rest  of  these  Cater- 
ans  became  suddenly  changed.  They  put  on  looks  the 
most  ruesome  imaginable.  At  one  time  they  cursed  and 
grumbled.  They  looked  wofully  around  them  on  the  mili 
tary,  and  the  laughing  mob :  then  they  crouched,  and  be- 


82  THE    WHIGS    OF    SCOTLAND: 

sought.  And  finally,  they  smote  their  thighs  and  hands, 
and  cried,  out  of  pure  indignation;  and  a  sense  of  their  utter 
helplessness.  They  Avere  now  become  quite  chop-fallen. 
And  their  long  and  lank  countenances,  and  skinny  jaws 
were  eked  out  to  a  hideous  length — like  those  of  the  quiver 
ing  criminal  at  the  gibbet.  Then  with  groanings,  and  half 
suppressed  oaths,  and  Gallic  interjections ;  and  the  most 
ludicrous  contortions,  and  fidgettings — all  of  which  scenes 
the  students  enjoyed  exquisitely — they  began  to  pull  out, 
and  render  up  their  plunder.  One  rummaged  his  portman 
teau,  another  his  sporran,  another  his  pockets,  and  drew 
out  slowly,  and  with  heavy  sighs,  piece  by  piece,  what 
they  had  stowed  away  in  them  with  much  economy  of  space. 
The  chief  threw  down  a  bunch  of  parchments,  with  their 
broad  red  seal  attached  to  them :  and  some  papers :  then 
some  linens,  marked  with  the  well-known  devices  and  coats 
of  arms  of  the  nobility  and  gentlemen  of  the  South  and 
West: — some  gold  buckles  next  made  their  appearance, 
and  some  silver  plate,  with  gold  rings  and  jewels, — 
sparkling  with  gems — torn  from  the  ears  and  fingers  of 
beauty. 

"What  hae  ye  there  in  that  bunchy  sporran  o'  yours, 
master  chieftain,"  was  clamorously  repeated  by  several  of 
the  younger  students.  "Come, — oot  wi'  it ; — else  our  steels 
will  scatter  its  fragments  afore  yer  een." 

The  chief  had  with  some  anxiety  kept  this  concealed  under 
the  foldings  of  his  tartan  plaid.  And  as  this  demand  was 
so  imperiously  repealed,  he  groaned  with  vexation  ;  and  big 
drops  of  sweat  broke  over  his  brow.  He  dashed  the  bonnet 
off  his  head,  scratched  his  glossy  red  curls  ;  and  replacing 
it,  he  felt  for  his  claymore :  and  looked  furiously  around 
him,  for  his  hainchman  to  bring  him  his  arms.  He  talked 
earnestly  with  an  aged  clansman,  who  stood  near  him,  and 
whose  long  white  hairs  streamed  in  the  February  wind. — 
A  young  Highland  student  explained  to  Sir  Robert  the  con 
versation  of  the  parties,  while  the  chieftain  was  pouring  out 
the  contents  of  his  sporran,  there  fell  out  a  necklace  of 
elegant  gems.  It  sparkled  in  the  sunbeams  as  it  fell  on  the 
table.  There  followed,  the  figure  of  a  coronet,  made  of 
diamonds ;  and  some  ornamented  gold  inlaid  with  rubies, 
topazes,  and  garnets  :  then  a  gold  chain  of  exquisitely  deli 
cate  links,  to  which  was  appended  a  locket,  containing  a 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  83 

figure,  in  miniature,  of  a  bright  face,  and  sweet  laughing 
blue  eyes,  of  a  little  child,  set  round  with  brilliants ;  and 
under  it  the  motto  "  Prosim."  There  fell  out  also  some 
ribbons,  and  a  little  girdle  set  with  amethysts,  and  pink,  and 
yellow  topazes,  and  a  richly  wrought  cap,  and  several  arti 
cles  of  lace. 

"A  baby's  cap,  by  Saunt  Patrick,"  roared  out  a  stout  Hi 
bernian,  who  had  been  eyeing  him  with  a  look  of  the  most 
fixed  astonishment.  "The  lord  Heelanman  has  been  robbing 
nurseries,  as  weel  as  castles,  and  kirks  ?"  "  As  I  live  by 
bread,"  cried  another,  "  if  the  cap  binna  stained  by  blude  ! 
The  man's  been  murderin'  wee  babies  !" 

There  was  first  a  roar  of  laughter,  but,  instantly,  as  the 
voice  of  the  second  speaker  fell  on  the  ears  of  the  multi 
tude,  there  was  a  deep  silence ;  and  every  countenance  had 
the  picture  of  exquisite  curiosity  impressed  on  it,  with  anx 
iety  and  rage  strongly  combined.  A  score  of  voices  ex 
claimed,  "  Speak  out,  ye  Heelan'  villain,  is  it  sae,  or  is  it  no 
sae'.  Hae  ye  been  killin'  weans?" 

The  white-haired  bard,  all  this  time,  continued  his  speech 
with  great  earnestness,  to  the  chieftain,  with  a  voice  choked 
with  grief,  disappointment,  and  wrath,  struggling  with 
shame  and  pride.  "  Did  I  not  see  it — did  I  not  speak  it 
oot  to  you  ?  Chief  o'  the  bludy  hand  ?  while  the  white 
mist  hung  in  lazy  volumes,  ower  the  blue  loch :  and  the 
sunbeams  o'  the  east  fell  on  the  licht  cloud  on  the  moun 
tain's  brow  o'  Carrick  ?  Did  I  not  SEE  it  ?  The  Heelan' 
Host  passed  suddenly  afore  my  auld  een:  and  the  vision 
flitted  ower  my  oppressed  mind.  Did  I  not  see  the  infant 
under  the  murderous  steel — when  the  purple  blood  follow 
ed  the  claymore ;  and  the  distracted  mother  stretched  out 
her  imploring  hands ;  and  her  long  raven  locks  streamed 
ower  her  white  shoulders?  That  unearthly  shriek  has 
rung  day  and  night  in  my  ears.  Give  me  back  my  wee 
baby,  Spare  him — Oh !  spare  my  wee  Jamie  !  and  tak  a1 
the  gudes,  and  gear,  and  the  castle  too  ! 

"  I  SAW  the  purple  cloud  tinged  we'  blude !  And  the  Host 
I  saw  walkin'  red-wet-shod.  Slow  the  demon  o'  vengeance 
moved,  at  first,  with  his  lame  foot, — slow  but  sure  in  his 
vengeance !  The  Host  vanished  ower  Carrick's  dark  moun 
tains.  I  wept ;  and  implored ;  it  was  all  in  vain.  Divine 


84  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND! 

music,  I  said,  will  scatter  the  damps  of  this  heavy  darkness, 
which  the  demon  had  poured  over  my  soul.  Malvina,  my 
daughter,  was  not  nigh,  with  her  clairshach.  I  touched  the 
chords  o'  my  harp.  The  harp  o'  my  fathers  sent  forth  no 
sweet  music.  There  was  blood  on  the  strings, — and  the 
dewy  damp  o!  death.  A  clash  of  jarring  sounds  rung 
doubtfully  in  air — I  awoke  from  my  vision  in  agony !  Arid 
O,  chief  o'  the  bloody  hand,  I  hae  lived  to  see  the  race  o' 
my  native  hills  melting  awa'  afore  the  demon  wha  chastises 
the  bludy,  and  the  unjust.  The  dastard  sons  o'  the  Sas 
senach  will  not  grasp  the  sword  o'  blood.  We  shanna  fa' 
by  the  Lawlan'  outlaws,  which  the  Stuart  chases  frae  his 
protection-1 — the  men  o'  the  mountain  psalm,  and  the  moun 
tain  prayer.  .  They  wull  leave  us  to  perish  by  the  hand  o' 
the  GREAT  DIAH.*  It  was  nae  forray, — nae  creagh!  We 
"burnt  the  temples  o'  DIAH  !  We  violated  matrons  and 
maidens.  We  dashed  the  \vee  smilin'  bairn  on  the  point  o' 
the  claymore.  And  syn  that  day  o'  crime,  the  sun  has  not 
shone,  in  its  loveliness,  on  our  heads :  the  clouds  hae  rolled 
darker,  and  the  thunders  hae  roared  louder.  Son  of  the 
mountain  and  flood  !  the  bricht  day  o'  thy  fame  has  passed 
awa.  Fallen  art  thou,  and  sunk  in  shame!" 

The  Bard  uttered  these  words  of  his  song  in  a  loud 
tone,  which  caused  a  deep  silence :  and  covering  his  face 
with  his  plaid,  he  wept.  The  chief  bent  his  dark  eyes  in 
silence  on  him,  and  groaned.  But  rage  and  pride  overcame 
the  remains  of  humanity.  With  a  look  of  immoveable  as 
surance,  and  with  eyes  flashing  fire,  he  surveyed,  with 
hurried  glances,  the  faces  of  the  multitude  around  him. 
And  folding  his  arms  over  his  sheen  plaid,  he  frowned  de 
fiance  on  every  soul  of  them. 

"  By  the  pure  heevens !  Jeemoc,"  cried  a  voice  in  the 
Ayrshire  accent,  "  Dinna  ye  ken  that  man  ?  Its  the  very 
chiel  himsel."  The  voice  came  from  a  cluster  of  ruddy 
youth  in  Kilmarnock  bonnets.  "  It's  the  Heelan  deevil, 
himsel,"  added  another,  "  wha  along  wi  his  caterans,  broke 
into  oor  lady's  hoose,  in  the  absence  o'  her  lord,  and  wha 
plundered  the  hoose  o'  a'  the  gudes  and  gear,  gowd  and 
jewels ;  wha  dashed  her  ladyship's  wee  sweet  baby  frae 
the  cradle,  and  laid  his  murderous  steel  on  it ;  and  the  puir 

*  Hebrew  Jah,  or  JEHOVAII. 


OR,    THE    LAST   OF    THE    STUARTS.  85 

unprotected  lady  went  distracted,  and  ne'er  saw  peace  mair. 
And  she  roves  aye  doon  the  streets,  and  ower  the  fields — and 
aye,  as  she  met  a  stranger,  she  wad  wring  her  white  hauns, 
and  say,  '  Did  ye  see  my  wee  baby — sau  ye  my  puir  wee 
Jamie.'  But  God  pitied  her  grief,  and  teuk  her  hame  to  his 
ain  heeven." — "  Hech  !  man,"  cried  another,  "  had  I  been 
there  to  save  her,  my  long  kail  gully  should  hae  drunk  the 
vile  cateran's  blude." 

This  was  spoken  in  a  fierce  tone,  while  he  suited  the  ac 
tion  to  the  words.  The  bandit  eyed  the  youth  with  unchang 
ed  countenance.  His  impudence  overcame  the  lingering 
remains  of  their  patience.  The  young  men  threw  them 
selves  upon  him  with  the  first  weapons  which  they  could 
seize.  He  was  dashed  down  in  the  mire,  and  literally 
covered  with  the  desperate  youth,  who  were  eager  to  take 
vengeance  on  the  military  bandit.  In  vain  he  shieked 
and  groaned.  In  vain  his  men  threw  themselves  in  among 
them  to  bring  him  aid.  The  students  did  not  permit  them 
to  interfere. 

Sir  Robert  called  a  strong  guard,  and  ordered  them  to 
clear  the  way,  and  carry  off  the  Highlanders  to  a  place  of 
safety.  After  a  severe  struggle  they  succeeded  in  bringing 
him  off — his  dark  belt,  tartans,  and  plumage  covered  with 
mire,  and  the  blood,  the  meanwhile,  falling  in  big  drops 
from  his  neck  and  face. 

The  infuriate  youth  would  have  despatched  him  on  the 
spot,  in  defiance  of  the  guard  of  students,  had  not  their  at 
tention  been  suddenly  arrested  by  another  voice  calling  out 
the  name  of  another  commander  of  a  pfarty,  who  had 
plundered  Kilmarnock;  and  of  another  who  had  plundered 
Ayr,  and  the  neighbourhood  of  Cassilis ;  and  of  another 
who  had  set  all  the  kirks  of  Carrik  on  fire.  "  There," 
cried  one,  "  is  meikle  Dumbar  o'  the  Grange,  who  robbed 
his  landlord,  even  auld  Davy  Muir,  o'  a'  his  gowd  and  sil 
ler."  "  There,"  screamed  another,  "  is  the  villanous  leader 
o1  the  nine,  wha  robbed  Willie  Dickie  o'  a  stockin'  fa'  o' 
siller,  brak  twa  o'  his  ribs;  and  killed  his  puir  feckless 
wife  and  bairn."  "  There,"  roared  out  another,  in  still 
louder  note,  "  is  the  Heelan  gillie  who  killed  oor  minister, 
Maister  Wedderburn,  the  indulged  minister,  wi'  the  butt 
end  o'  his  musquet,  when  he  was  intercedin'  wi'  them,  bare 

TOL.    I. H. 


86  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

headed,  that  Kilmarnock  micht  not  be  given  to  be  plunder 
ed  on  the  Sabbath  day." 

From  words  they  proceeded  to  blows.  And  as  the  thun 
dering  strokes  fell  on  the  neck,  and  broad  shoulders  of  the 
Highlanders,  they  added,  "  tak  that  looner  frae  the  laird  o' 
Kilbirnie." — "  Ye'll  mind  the  toad  cellar  o'  the  Dean 
hoose !"  "  Ye  canna  hae  forgotten  the  bludy  scenes  o' 
Ochiltree !"  "  Tak  that  for  the  black  maille  o'  Kyle  and 
Cunningham."  "  Can  ye  forgett  auld  Quintin  Dick  o'  Dal- 
mellington?"  "  Or  yer  deeds  at  the  Brigg  o'  Doone  and 
the  Kirk  o'  Alloway?  and  Maybole?  And  the  rapes  o' 
St.  Quivox,  and  the  bonny  family  o'  the  Bruces'  ?  And  the 
stab  o'  the  cauld  steel  on  the  fields  o'  Colmonel  ?,'  "  Tak 
that  for  the  shepherdess  o'  Distinckhorn;"  "and  the  burning 
oot  o'  the  cotters  o'  Auchinleck :"  "  And  the  spulzie  o'  the 
Laird  o'  Torfoot,  and  the  burnings  o'  Glengeel  and 
Avendale. 

By  this  time  the  tumult  began  to  assume  an  appearance 
truly  terrific.  Nothing  but  force  opposed  to  force  could 
prevent  a  massacre.  At  length,  after  a  rigorous  and  per 
severing  effort,  Sir  Robert  succeeded  in  driving  back  the 
youthful  assailants ;  and  in  conveying  the  Highland  officers 
to  the  Western  Gate,  and  out  of  the  city. 

Meanwhile  the  Bailey  was  sending  on  another  division 
of  forty ,  guarded  by  another  escort.  They  passed  on  in 
quick  march.  And  the  same  scene  of  pride,  rage,  and  con 
fusion  was  re-enacted,  before  each  soldier  was  constrained 
to  lay  down  his  plunder. 

Nothing  escaped  the  eagle  eyes  of  the  students.  They 
stript  them  of  every  thing,  except  what  was  strictly  High 
land.  The  fiftieth  escort  at  last  came,  and  brought  the  last 
of  the  two  thousand  Highland  soldiers — and  the  finale  of 
this  unparalleled  inquisition. 

The  Bailey  and  his  aids  followed  up  the  rear,  with  a  tu 
multuous  rolling  of  the  drums,  and  "the  ear-piercing  fife," 
and  the  occasional  discharge  of  a  heavy  gun. 

The  place  of  general  deposit  exhibited  an  extraordinary 
medley.  From  the  knap-sacks  were  rolled  out  pots,  pans, 
kettles,  shoes,  boots,  Kilmarnock  blue  bonnets,  feckets, 
doublets,  hose,  petticoats,  gowns,  plaids.  Then  followed 
the  baggage  wagons  which  were  made  to  disgorge  a  lit 
tle  mountain  of  linen,  blankets,  beds,  raw  hides,  sheep  skint  \ 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  87 

all  manner  of  household  furniture — materials  sufficient  for 
furnishing  the  cottages  of  a  Highland  Strath. 

The  Bailey  presented  himself  to  each  company,  as  he 
passed  along,  and  thanked  them  cordially  for  "  their  soldier 
like  conduct,  and  the  effective  service,  this  day  rende  red  to 
the  country.  You,  the  brave  students,  wi'  whom  this  wark 
originated — I  thank  you,  my  bony  gallants !  in  the  name  o' 
Glascow,  and  the  sufferers.  May  God  mak  you  and  your 
youthfu'  associates  o'  the  city,  to  stan'  up  in  future  times 
the  bricht  ornaments,  and  pillars  o'  defence  to  AULD  SCOT 
LAND,  oor  dear  native  laun'. — And  you,  Carters,  I  thank 
cordially,  for  that  demonstration  got  up  to  so  good  a  purpose. 
Ha  !  ha !  ha  !  I  thank  you  for  your  wooden  cannons,  wi' 
their  black  bausoned  muzzles,  which  struck  nae  sma'  terror 
into  the  stoutest  Heelan  heart.  And  you,  braw  youth  o' 
the  auld  goodly  city  o'  Glascow,  wha  reared  the  fort  o'pine 
boards,  and  mounted  the  long  Toms,  and  howitzers,  manu 
factured  out  o'  black  oak,  whilk  sent  sic  a  death-like  lour 
ower  the  Host ,  and  threatened  ilka  moment  to  belch  oot 
frae  their  wooden  entrails  liquid  fire  and  grape  shot,  to  send 
them,  as  thin  ghosts,  in  the  twinklin'  o'  an  ee,  to  the  airy 
ha's  o'  their  faithers!  And  you,  brave  coalheavers,  and 
carters  who  mounted  on  your  nags,  and  equipt  in  armour, 
o'  the  year  ane,  by  moving  in  quick  march,  round  and 
round,  in  the  back-ground,  presented  to  the  astonished  Hee- 
landers  an  interminable  length  of  cavalry,  pouring  in  on 
both  flanks,  in  sic  a  manner  as  to  convince  them  that  a'  re 
sistance  was  vain.  We  owe  you,  my  braw  hearties !  our 
cordial  thanks.  And,  in  fine,  though  we  kenna  what  may 
be  the  upshot  o'  this  day's  wark,  we  shanna  close  this  cam 
paign  of  a  day,  till  we  hae  it  thoroughly  dune.  Hear  then, 
a"  o'  ye,  what  I  hae  further  to  advise.  And  in  the  first 
place,  we  maun  escort  these  Heelan  caterans  not  only  fair 
ly  oot  o'  the  toon,  but  we  maun  show  them  a  demonstra 
tion  o'  oor  numerical  powers  that  we  are  sax  to  ane ;  and, 
hence,  that  for  them  to  return  in  order  to  leuk  after  their 
fleeced  woo',  wull  be  their  certain  destruction.  Secondlie, 
we  maun  lie  on  oor  airms  all  night,  and  hae  habile  senti 
nels  planted.  And  you  Burleigh  and  Torfoot,  see  ye  this 
executed.  Thirdlie,  a'  this  spulzie  o'  thae  caterans,  maun 
be  conveyed  to  the  Custom-hoose,  to  be  delivered  up  to  the 
respective  owners  o'  the  same,  wha  shall  be  advertised  o1 


88  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

it,  by  public  outcry,  at  the  market  crosses  o'  the  different 
toons  in  the  Wast  and  Sooth.  And  you,  Sir  William,  and 
Robert  Hamilton,  wull  communicate  wi'  the  sufferers,  and 
see  this  thing  carried  as  far  as  practicable — into  execution. 
And,  lastly,  your  unworthy  general  invites  you,  ane  and 
a',  wha  have  been  in  the  regular  service  this  day,  to  come, 
afore  we  pairt,  and  partake  o'  some  vivers.  If  a  hearty 
welcome  and  plenty  o't  can  make  a  banquet,  then  shall  we 
hae  a  banquet  on  buns  and  yill,  and  a  tass  o'  brandy  wull 
wash  it  down.  I  hae  only  this  ae  wush,  my  hearties !  that 
I  were  but  a  prince  for  ae  single  day,  I  might  then  du  some 
thing  towards  liquidating  the  debt  whilk  auld  Glascow  owes 
ye,  my  lads ! 

The  generous  Annandale  and  Mauchlin,  together  wi' 
Semple,  and  the  twa  Hamiltons,  wull  hae  the  pleasure  o'  at 
tending  to  this,  and  see  the  vivers  and  crater  comforts  duly 
and  plentifully  provided.  For  the  needfu'  to  discharge  a' 
the  debts ;  I  tak  the  supervision  on  mysel,  and  let  nae  man 
insult  me  by  contradictions  and  refusals." 

The  Bailey  and  his  active  committee  saw  every  item  of 
this  done.  He  escorted  the  Highland  troops  with  all  his 
forces — and  saw  them  in  full  march  on  Campsie  and  Kil- 
syth — breathing  vengeance,  some  way  or  another  "on the 
Glasgow  bodies  wha  had  befooled,  and  plundered  them  sae 
outrageously. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Proh  temporal  proh  mores!" — TULLT. 

On  the  morning  of  the  second  day,  after  the  affair  with 
the  Highland  Host,  the  Bailey  was  seated  at  his  usual  ear 
ly  hour,  by  the  breakfast  table.  There  were  smoking  be 
fore  him,  the  substantial  materials  of  the  breakfast  common 
in  those  days  of  "  the  giants."  But  he  was  thoughtful  and 
melancholy.  His  daughter,  his  only  child,  was  seated  at 
the  head  of  the  table,  a  young  maiden,  of  twenty  years,  the 
idol  of  her  widowed  father's  heart. 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  89 

And  she  was  worthy  of  his  undivided  affection.  Helen 
Wardlaw  was  a  beautiful  being :  she  was  the  pride  of  the 
Trongate.  In  her  figure,  she  was  tall  and  majestic.  Over 
her  face,  which  was  of  an  oval  shape,  and  formed  on  the 
loveliest  Grecian  model,  and  lighted  up  with  the  purest 
and  most  delicate  tints,  were  there  spread,  withal,  an  inde 
scribable  sweetness  and  grace.  She  dressed  after  the  manner 
of  her  noble  and  accomplished  Highland  mother.  And  in 
her  tartan  sheen,  and  silken  plaid,  at  church,  or  on  the  pro 
menade,  leaning  on  her  father's  arm,  and  smiling  in  all  the 
witchery  of  her  beauty,  the  beholders  and  passers  by,  look 
ed  upon  her,  and  blessed  "the  beautiful  Helen,  the  gude 
Trongate  Bailey's  daughter." 

Her  accomplished  mind  possessed  sufficient  solidity  and 
good  sense,  to  keep  her  equally  from  the  extremes  of  affec 
tation  and  haughtiness,  on  the  one  hand,  and  levity  on  the 
other.  There  was  just  a  sufficient  tincture  of  pride  about 
her,  to  keep  her  from  being  vain.  Kindness  and  unaffect 
ed  condescension  to  the  poor,  were,  moreover,  a  beautiful 
trait  in  her  character.  This  her  noble  and  gay  young 
friends  called  the  romantic  part  of  her  character,  but  it  min 
istered  a  real  pleasure,  and  happiness  to  her  kind  and  be 
nevolent  heart.  It  was,  also,  in  her  view,  a  matter  of  duty : 
and  who  could  dissuade  her  from  what  was  duty,  and  a  plea 
sure?  Hence  she  was  as  often  seen  in  the  humble  cottage 
of  the  widow  and  orphan,  and  by  the  couch  of  the  sick,  as 
in  the  halls  of  the  gay.  If  she  was  the  enchanting  beauty, 
admired  and  caressed  in  the  halls  of  the  noble,  and  the 
withdrawing  rooms  of  the  fashionable  dames  of  Caledonia  ; 
she  was  adored  as  an  angel  of  mercy  by  the  widows  and 
orphans  of  the  sufferers,  and  the  martyrs  of  Scotland. 

Being  of  noble  descent,  by  the  mother's  side,  and  an  heir 
ess  to  a  rich  estate,  she  had  received  the  usual  education  of 
damsels  of  noble  rank  in  Scottish  society.  And  her  vigor 
ous  and  amiable  mind  had  availed  itself  of  the  favourable  op 
portunities  of  improvement,  in  whatever  was  useful,  and  or 
namental.  Her  reading  had  been  rather  extensive  in  the 
different  departments  of  literature.  She  never  wrote  verses ; 
but  she  had  looked  into  the  classics ;  had  examined  the 
French  and  Italian  writers ;  and  was  a  good  judge  of  Eng 
lish  and  Scottish  poets,  and  prose  writers.  She  had  been 
thrown,  at  an  early  period,  into  intercourse  with  the  suffer- 
H* 


90  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

'  *  „-  ***' 

ers.  These  were  no  mean  men,  either  as  it  regards  birth 
or  accomplishments.  Some  of  them  were  among  Scotland's 
foremost  nobles  and  barons :  and  many  of  them  clergy  of 
the  best  descent  and  education.  From  this  circumstance  it 
happened,  that  her  train  of  thought,  as  well  as  her  course 
of  reading,  was  rather  unusual  for  a  maiden  of  her  rank, 
and  blooming  years.  She  might  not,  like  the  Lady  Jane 
Grey,  prefer  Plato  and  the  other  Greek  masters  in  philoso 
phy  and  eloquence,  to  the  pleasures  of  the  chase,  or  the  with 
drawing  room.  Yet  certain  it  is,  that  Helen  Wardlaw 
would  often  steal  away  from  the  gay  assembly,  and  the 
company  of  countesses,  and  their  fascinating  daughters,  to 
listen  to  the  conversation  of  patriots,  and  sufferers  in  their 
country's  cause :  or  to  look  into  the  Apologetical  History 
of  the  Bleeding  Kirk;  or  the  new  "narrative  of  the  last 
Martyr"  that  had  suffered.  If  these  sent  grief  into  her 
young  heart,  and  forced  the  tears  into  her  eyes,  it  is  nothing 
more  than  what  other  young  beauties  must  confess,  they 
have  experienced  over  the  idle  page  of  romance.  But,  then, 
there  is  this  difference, — Helen  Wardlaw  wept  over  the 
real  sorrows  of  gallant  spirits,  embarked  in  the  achieving 
of  the  deliverance  of  Scotland,  and  the  liberty  of  her  sons 
and  daughters.  But  the  reader  of  romance  wept  over  the 
fictitious  sorrows  of  fictitious  characters  whining  under  a 
disappointment  in  some  silly  love  affair !  or  unsuccessful 
ambition ! 

But,  there  was  another  reason  for  this  conduct  on  the 
part  of  Helen  Wardlaw.  This  beautiful  being,  beloved 
almost  to  adoration,  by  the  patriotic  whigs,  had  been,  three 
years  ago,  elected  chief  protectress  and  treasurer  of  the 
sufferers,  and  of  the  widows  and  orphans  of  the  martyrs  of 
the  west  of  Scotland.  And  when  a  martyr  fell,  she  felt  as 
if  she  had  lost  a  beloved  member  of  her  family, — a  brother 
or  a  sister !  No  wonder,  then,  that,  on  the  arrival  of  an  ex 
press  to  her  father,  detailing  some  fresh  act  of  cruelty  on  the 
part  of  the  council,  and  the  fall  of  another  martyred  patrjot, 
Helen  Wardlaw  would  retire  from  the  splendours  of  a 
drawing-room,  and  a  crowd  of  her  admirers,  to  give  audi 
ence  to  the  messenger,  and  hasten  to  mitigate  the  sorrows 
of  the  widow  and  orphans  of  the  fallen  martyr.  The  gay 
and  thoughtless  could  never  appreciate  her  sentimental,  and 
even  enthusiastic  devotion  to  the  cause  of  the  Scottish  he- 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  91 

roes,  and  the  champions  of  the  Kirk.  It  was  their  calamity 
that  they  could  not  mingle  in  sympathy  with  her;  and  they 
had  her  pity,  and  that  of  the  whigs  of  Scotland.  If  there 
was  romance  in  her  character,  it  was  the  glorious  romance 
interwoven  in  the  character  of  the  illustrious  patriots,  to 
whose  labours  and  sufferings,  sealed  Avith  their  blood,  Scot 
land  is  mainly  indebted  for  that  liberty,  and  form  of  reli 
gion,  which  she  now  enjoys. 

Such  was  Helen  Wardlaw,  the  sole  heiress  of  the  baro 
net  of  Auchingowrie,  so  famed  in  the  story  of  the  whigs 
during  the  dark  days  of  their  struggle,  for  her  benevolence 
and  charities :  and  the  beautiful  being,  moreover,  whom 
busy  fame  had  assigned  to  the  young  heir  apparent  of  the 
barony  of  Akenhart,  to  wit,  our  hero  Burleigh  Stewart. 
One  thing  is  certain,  no  one  bowed  before  our  beauty,  with 
more  impassioned  adoration  than  he  did.  And,  in  justice 
to  him,  it  must  be  added,  that,  notwithstanding  all  preten 
ces  to  the  contrary,  there  was  manifest  evidence,  that  the 
loveliest  scenery  of  Auchingowrie,  and  all  the  beauties  of 
its  stately  castle,  were  very  dull  and  insipid  things  to  our 
beauty,  when  Burleigh  Stewart  Avas  absent.  We  return 
to  our  narrative. 

Helen  perceived  that  the  troubles  of  her  father  were,  this 
morning,  increased  tenfold.  She  did,  indeed,  affect  not  to 
see  them,  as  they  sat  at  table.  As  often  as  the  Bailey  turn 
ed  his  eyes  in  sorrow,  on  her,  she  seemed  busily  engaged 
in  training  up,  under  her  silken  snood,  some  straggling 
locks  of  her  glossy  raven  hair,  which  had  escaped,  in  their 
luxuriance,  and  had  fallen,  in  rich  curls,  on  her  white  neck 
and  bosom.  But  her  dark  blue  eyes,  the  \vhile,  watched 
her  father  in  silent  sorrow :  and  the  big  tear  drops  fell  from 
her  long  silken  eye-lashes.  For  him,  he  ate  not.  He  had 
turned  himself  round,  and  in  a  deep  reverie,  his  eyes  rest 
ed  on  the  military  gear,  lately  throAvn  off  by  him,  and  now 
lying  in  his  vieAv,  on  a  table  in  the  alcove. 

But  there  was  a  singular  elasticity  of  soul  in  our  good 
Bailey,  which  soon  restored  itself  to  its  proper  tone  of  feel 
ing  ;  and  dispersed  the  gloom  from  his  countenance. 

"True  it  is,  my  Helen," — cried  he  at  length, — "there 
are  seasons  in  which  Ave  mauna  waste  time,  in  parlying 
wi'  the  foemen,  and  throw  awa  an  opportunity  in  stopping 
to  gie  reasons  and  explanations.  We  must  lift  the  haun, 


02  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND : 

and  we  must  act.  When  the  three  Hebrew  children  in 
Babylon,  found  themselves  in  the  painful  predicament,  that, 
in  obedience  to  the  urgency  o'  the  king's  decree  they  must 
een  be  idolaters,  or  rebels  against  his  tyranny, — they  did 
na  pause  to  gie  reasons.  '  We  are  not  carefu',  cried  they, 
"to  answer  thee,  O  king, in  this  matter!"  It  was  na  the 
time  for  cold  calculations,  and  expositions :  they  wadna 
hae  been  listened  to :  they  behoved  to  act  on  the  instant : 
and  in  acting,  deny  their  God,  or  their  king !  They  hesi 
tated  ^ot;  though  the  fiery  furnace  was  afore  their  een,  bla- 
zin',  aught  times  heated  into  fury ! 

"And,  my  sweet  Helen,  we  have  dune  richt  in  what  we 
hae  dune,"  he  added,  as  he  turned  himself  round,  and  appli 
ed  himself  to  the  solid  vivers  smoking  before  him ;  and  the 
stoup  of  claret.  "  It  was  nae  time  for  explanations  and 
apologies.  True  it  is,  its  a  bold  step  we  hae  ta'en.  And  it 
was  unco  weel  for  a'  parties  that  the  Life  Guards  werekawa 
frae  their  quarters  on  some  forray,  and  deel's  errand,  up 
Clyde  side.  Blude  micht  otherwise  hae  been  shed.  As  it 
was,  ha !  ha !  ha  !  we  had  it  a'  oor  ain  gaite !  But,  there 
wull  be  news  o1  this,  wi'  a'  my  daffin.  And  e'en  already, 
my  sweet  bairne, — wha  kens  but  the  bludy  hoonds  e' 
Claverse  may  be  on  the  scent !  But,  my  bairne,  when  we 
maun  deny  oor  God,  or  oor  king's  power  in  thae  things, 
— we  mauna  swither,  were  there  een  a  blazing  furnaoe 
afore  oor  een,  o'  the  king  o'  Babylon's  heating !" 

At  this  moment,  two  persons  entered  hastily  by  the  door 
which  led  in  by  the  rear  of  the  building.  The  eldest  of  the 
two  drew  from  him  his  grey  cloak ;  and  threw  himself 
down  on  a  seat,  with  a  sigh.  He  was  pale  and  breath 
less,  and  faint.  It  was  father  Cargil,  and  his  youthful 
companion. 

In  an  instant  Helen  was  at  his  side.  She  took  off  his 
broad-brimmed  hat ;  unbuttoned  his  coat ;  gathered  up 
his  straggling  grey  locks :  and  smoothed  them  down  over 
his  temple  and  ears ;  and  then  hastened  to  bring  him  a 
cup  of  cool  water. 

"  My  dear  good  old  father!"  cried  she,  in  sweet  and  sil 
very  tones,  which  poured  out  the  sensibilities  of  her  soul, 
and  spread  over  the  desolate  heart  of  the  aged  pastor,  the 
charm  of  the  sweetest  sympathy ; — "  You  are  ill,  my  vene 
rable  father ; — what  new  calamity  has  befallen  you  ? 


OR,    THE    LAST   OF    THE    STtTARTS.  93 

Cargil  raised  her  hand  to  his  lips,  and  kissed  it ;  and 
lifting  a  languid  eye  to  her  beautiful  face,  beaming  with 
sympathy  and  pity,  he  said,  "Ask  me  not,  lovely  maiden, 
what  calamity  has  befallen  me :  the  enemy  is  abroad.  It 
is  the  hour  and  power  of  darkness:  short  is  my  story: 
we  hae  been  pursued.  Let  me,  I  pray  thee,  be  led  to  my 
concealment." 

The  Bailey  instantly  arose,  and  led  him  to  his  secret 
chamber.  And  not  allowing  any  of  his  domestics  to  enter 
it;  or  even  to  see  who  was  there,  he  carried  the  contents 
of  the  breakfast  table,  with  a  stoup  of  claret,  into  his 
retreat,  and  urged  him  to  keep  himself  in  perfect  compo 
sure  ;  and  to  refresh  himself  with  food  and  sleep. 

When  the  Bailey  returned,  he  learned  from',  Master 
James,  that  the  chief  of  the  Highland  Host  had  contrived 
to  send  a  message,  by  one  of  his  crafty  gillies,  to  the  head 
quarters  of  the  Life  Guards :  and  that  an  express  had 
been  sent  after  the  dragoons :  and  that,  moreover,  being  at 
no  great  distance,  scouring  the  upper  ward  of  Lanarkshire, 
they  had  been  hurried  back,  and  were  already  in  the 
city. 

"And  noo,  Bailey  Wardlaw,"  cried  Master  James— 
"  I  entreat  you  instantly  to  take  measures  for  your  own 
safety.  The  pursuit  is  hot,  and  who  may  escape  ?  Speed 
you,  for  the  sake  of  this  angel  of  mercy, — your  daughter." 

Father  Cargil  returned  at  this  moment,  and  united  his 
earnest  entreaties  to  those  of  Master  James. 

"lean,"  said  he,  "my  sweet  bairne,  look  wi'  steady 
een,  on  the  coming  hour,  in  the  whilk  I  sail  be  offered 
up,  for  His  dear  name,  and  haly  cause's  sake.  But  there's 
ae  cause  o'  pain  and  distress  to  me,  my  sweet  Helen,  I  may 
draw  doon  ruin  on  my  friens,  and  on  thee,  and  thy  faither's 
hoose  especially,  for*  thy  ministering  to  the  persecute^ 
members  o'  HIM,  wha|rules  abune,  canna  meiklelanger  be 
concealed.  Could  I  out  fa1  alane,  Helen  Wardlaw,  hoo 
sweet  wad  death  be  to  me  !" 

"  Fear  noucht  for  us,  father  Cargil,  and  you  Master 
James,"  cried  Helen ;  and  she  added  after  a  long  pause, 
during  which  her  eyes  beamed  with  affection,  and  respect 
on  her  father, — the  Bailey's  face,  as  she  waited  his  reply. 
A  nod  from  him  made  her  proceed.  "  My  father  and  I  are 
prepared  for  a'  extremes.  And  we  hae  ta'enour  measures. 


94  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

For  me,  I  practise  the  lessons  o'  my  saunted  mother,  in 
heaven,  wha  inherited  the  romantic  love  of  liberty  frae  the 
gallant  knight  her  father,  wha  was  brocht  up  in  the  mili 
tary  school  o'  Gustavus,  and  was  amang  the  stalwart  lords 
and  knights  that  carried  their  persevering  arms  through 
varied  fortunes,  until  the  fierce  Montrose  expiated  on  a 
tree,  his  murder  and  treason.  As  the  heiress  of  her  estate, 
which  descended  to  her,  the  only  child  o'  Sir  George  Gor 
don — I  might  take  my  place  amang  the  nobles  o'  the  land, 
e'en  where  my  noble  mother  moved  in  the  better  days  o1 
oor  Kintry.  But  my  heart  is  not  there,  father  Cargil : 
and  canna  be  there  in  the  dark  days  o'  oor  nation's  mourn 
ing.  Amid  the  glare  o'  honours  and  riches,  I  should  find 
myself  among  the  ranks  o'  the  licensed  oppressors  o'  my 
Kintry,  and  the  haly  cause  o'  liberty  and  religion.  Let 
them  call  it  romance  or  cant.  The  thoughtless  must  hae 
something  to  say  in  defence  o'  their  treason  against  God 
and  their  Kintry.  For  me,  in  the  bloom  and  promise  o' 
sweet  youth,  I  can  say,  give  me  liberty,  or  give  me  death ! 
Since  I  was  a  little  maiden  so  high" And  she  made  a  mo 
tion  with  her  white  arm. — "  I  have  listened  to  the  soldier's 
tale,  wha  fought  in  the  ranks  o'  Scottish  patriots.  And  in 
thae  later  years  my  faither's  hoose  has  been  the  asylum  o1 
the  sufferers.  I  hae  studied  their  characters,  and  their  mo 
tives  ;  not  in  the  fair  sunshine  o'  health  and  smiling  hap 
piness, — when  hypocrisy  draws  her  vizard  close  over  the 
face, — and  when  the  rage  of  fashion  is  to  assume  the  awk 
ward  garb  o'  sanctity.  I  hae  studied  them  in  dungeons, 
and  in  caves,  under  the  weicht  of  crushing  sorrows.  I 
hae  witnessed, — and  the  daughter  o'  the  Gordons  blushes 
not  to  say,  that  I  hae  participated  in  their  enthusiasm  for 
the  liberties  o'  Scotland,  and  the  emancipation  o'  the  kirk, 
frae  the  thraldom  o'  the  Stuarts.  And  I  speak  not  without 
knowledge  o'  the  character  and  motives  o'  those  o'  the  other 
side,  in  the  great  national  question." 

As  Helen  spoke  this,  she  turned  her  animated  eyes,  and 
beautiful  face  on  Master  James,  whom  she  suspected  of  wa 
vering  between  the  Whigs,  and  the  Tories  ;  under  the  in 
fluence  of  the  family  of  Perth:  and  whom  she  anxiously 
wished  to  gain  over. 

"  I  hae  mingled  wi'  the  wives  and  daughters  of  both  the 
nobles  and  the  bishops,"  continued  she,  "and,  Master 


OR,  THK  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  95 

James,  it  cost  me  nae  great  effort,  young  and  inexperienced 
though  I  was,  to  appreciate  the  distinctive  character  and  mo 
tives  o'thae  oppressors  o'  Scotland.  As  my  fat  her  has  told  you, 
and  he  kens  mair  of  this  part  o'  their  character  than  I  could 
hae  opportunity  to  learn, — dissipation  has  not  only  per 
vaded  a'  ranks,  it  has  bowed  their  lofty  spirits  down,  and 
enslaved  them.  If  I  am  correct  in  comparing  the  narra 
tives  o'  my  honoured  mother,  with  mine  own  personal  ob 
servations,  even  our  fair  sex  has  not  altogether  escaped  the 
moral  pestilence.  Where  meet  we  wi'  the  Scottish  and 
English  dames  who  were  famed  in  story  for  having  elevat 
ed  the  female  character  to  that  commanding  rank,  which 
it  had  long  sustained  among  the  nations  o'  continental 
Europe, — for  its  high-toned  moral  worth,  and  angelic 
moral  beauty.  Our  days  present  to  view  as  much  beauty 
as  ever,  but  the  charms  of  their  bright  virtues  have  faded. 
I  speak  what  I  do  see ;  and  what  you  see,  Master  James. 

"  The  ears  of  the  Scottish  fair  have  been  poisoned  by  the 
disgusting  conversation,  and  writings  o'  men  o'  wit ;  long 
rendered  fashionable  frae  the  throne,  doon  to  the  humble 
squire  ;  and,  noo,  sae  common  are  they,  that  they  seem  not 
conscious  of  any  error. 

At  what  their  mothers  blushed,  they  only  smile.  What 
their  mothers  condemned  in  principle,  they  do  more  than 
half  approve.  They  ridicule  religious  scruples :  they  in 
dulge  their  dull  wit  at  moral  feelings :  they  laugh  to  scorn 
the  pastor,  the  bible,  and  the  holy  day  o'  the  Most  High. 
They  sneer  at  the  canting  psalm-singer,  but  they  blush  not 
at  the  poesy  and  ballads  of  the  age,  to  the  characteristics  of 
which,  I  cannot  permit  myself  even  to  allude.  The  whig, 
another  name  with  them,  for  rustic  and  clown,  is  the  butt  of 
the  vulgar  laugh,  and  of  drollery  even  in  the  withdrawing 
room  of  beauty  and  nobility.  Our  country  women,— oh ! 
such  is  the  shocking  effects  of  the  horrid  barbarity  of  our 
times,  can  even  talk  of  gibbets,  and  boots,  and  thumb 
screws,  and  the  axe,  without  shuddering !  And  the  grand 
daughters  of  those  high-minded,  and  moral  nobles,  wha  exe 
crated  inquisitors,  and  put  down,  by  their  moral  influence, 
the  Catholic  persecutors,  even  they  can  roll  their  eyes  with 
an  easy  jaunting  air,  over  the  mangled  limbs,  and  the 
bleached  skulls  o'  the  martyrs ;  wi'  which — oh !  horrible, 
oor  prison  walls  are  garnished !  In  the  higher  circle* 


06  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

(I  speak  not,  Master  James,  frae  hearsay)  they  hae baptized 
religion,  and  morals,  with  the  odious  name  of  cant  and  fa 
naticism!  And  under  thae  names  they  persecute  them 
with  deadlie  feud  !  The  name,  and  thing  itself,  o'  piety,  is 
not  known  in  these  circles,  nor  even  alluded  to,  without 
raillery.  The  sacred  hymn,  and  the  psalm  sung  by  the  pret 
ty  lips  of  their  mothers,  are  displaced  by  the  pitiful  ballad, — 
the  ribald  song,  and  the  shameless  epigram.  I  hae  seen  all 
this — I  hae  studied  all  this,  for  six  years.  Liberty,  and  her 
sweet  sister,  Religion,  hae  fallen  by  the  hands  o'  the 
Stuart,  and  his  degenerate  nobles.  And  wo  be  to  those 
who  come  not  to  their  help.  Perish  they  can  never  !  The 
Holy  Ruler  o'  the  world  has  sent  them,  as  angels  o'  mercy, 
into  oor  earth,  out  o'  pity  to  his  children.  Strong  and  in 
vincible  is  the  arm  that  will  preserve  them  alive :  and 
blessed,  and  honoured  will  he  be,  who  has  the  happiness  o' 
coming  up  to  their  help  against  the  foemen  ! 

"  But  pardon  me,  my  mother's  daughter  is  not  loquacious 
in  her  own  affairs.  I  could  not  thus  hae  permitted  myself 
to  speak  in  my  own  private  griefs.  The  heart  o'  a  Gordon 
beats  for  his  Kintry.  I  bethought  me  that  in  the  national 
danger,  when  all  is  at  stake,  which  man,  and  woman  too, 
count  dear,  our  mother  Scotland  calls  upon  ilka  ane  o'  us 
to  du  oor  duty. — And  as  ilka  body  counts  ane, — I  was 
anxious,  not  only  to  show  mysel  ane,  but  to  win  over 
anither  here,  to  the  holy  interests  o'  his  Kintry ! 

"  My  fair  protectress !"  cried  Master  James,  as  he  awa 
kened  from  the  deep  reverie  into  which  he  had  fallen,  as  he 
listened  to  the  words  of  Helen  Wardlaw :-"  I  have  seen  ower 
Meikle  at  the  Grass-market,  at  the  Gallow  see,  and  in  the 
Heelan  Host,  with  the  young  Drummond, — ever  to  let 
myself  retrace  the  steps  to  the  ranks  o'  tyranny." 

"  All  that  may  be  very  true — but  the  feelings  do  not 
place  you  beyond  the  reach  o'  danger,  frae  the  influence 
o'  Perth,  your  years  are  not  so  many  as  mine  by  three  at 
least;  and  I  hae  seen  twenty  winters.  And  besides  six 
years  spent  amang  our  nobles,  now  in  office,  have  brought 
me  six  years'  experience  which  is  aiblins  worthy  o'  a  young 
man's  sober  notice,  after  a'." 

Cargil  and  the  Bailey  fixed  their  eyes  on  the  beautiful 
and  blooming  maiden  as  she  uttered  this, — and  smiled : 
while  a  delicious  tear  stole  down  the  cheeks  of  Cargil. 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  97 

"  I  hae  observed" — continued  the  persevering  Helen, 
and  her  eyes  sparkled  with  uncommon  vivacity :  "  I  should 
hae  said,  I  hae  learned  frae  experience,  Master  James, 
that  the  mind  is  not  always  apt  to  look  merely  at  the  force, 
or  the  beauty  of  an  argument :  or  at  bare  truth,  in  its 
loveliness :  or  its  power.  The  mind  of  the  best  disci 
plined  o'  us  will  stagger  at  the  plainest  facts,  and  at  the 
proof,  strong  as  haly  writ,  when  it  chanceth,  that  a  denial 
o'  them,  or  a  sneer  at  them  cometh  frae  the  lips  o'  beau 
ty  and  nobility.  Such  is  the  supremacy  o'  certain  small 
extraneous  things  over  the  most  vigorous  intellect.  The 
glitter  o'  a  star,  resting  over  a  very  silly  heart ;  or  the 
splendour  of  purple;  or  the  ribbon  glaring  on  the 
breast  of  a  babblin  fool .  or  the  head  geer  sparkling 
wi'  the  diamond  pearlins  on  an  empty  pretty  head,  hae 
aften  deranged  the  well-digested  argument  o'  a  learned 
divine,  and  o'  e'en  a  weel  fee'd  lawyer.  And  heark  ye, 
further,  Master  James,  the  pretty  face  o'  the  Countess,  or 
her  splendid  daughters,  laughing  on  you, — wad  make 
you  despise,  then  ridicule,  then  loath  the  "  canting  whig." 
The  Earl's  eloquence, — and  verily  it  is  nane  o'  the  bricht- 
est, — by  the  aid  o'  his  star,  and  coronet, — his  pomposity, 
and  glare  o'  ilka  thing  around  him,  will  make  ye  believe 
that  the  essence  o'  whiggism,  is  treason,  and  fanaticism  \ — 
Nay  I  hae  seen  the  presence  o'  beauty  and  nobility  absorb 
every  thing  like  sympathy,  and  pity  over  the  tale  o'  woe  ! 
I  hae  seen  the  glow  of  piety  cool  down  into  frigid  and 
even  irreligious  indifference,  before  beauty  and  nobility, 
I  hae  seen  the  mitred  bishop,  and  even  the  devout  pastor 
whisper  out  this  minced  graces,  fearfully,  and  wi'  compli 
mentary  apologies  for  venturing  to  utter  their  religious 
sentiments  to  their  God,  in  sic  a  presence  !  I  hae  witnessed 
the  force  o'  the  exclamation  o'  "  nasty  rude  creatures" — frae 
the  lips  o'  beauty  and  nobility,  sending  as  by  enchantment, 
a  chilling  frost  over  the  sensibilities  of  a  polished  circle, 
when  they  were  ready  to  mek  into  sympathy  and  even 
tears  at  the  tale  of  the  Scottish  Whigs.  And  it  was  no 
common  tale  of  woe.  For  instance, — some  one  was  re 
lating,  as  an  occurrence,  in  the  news  o'  the  day,  that  that 
coldblooded  and  heartless  being  Claverhouse,  had  caused 
burning  matches  to  be  put  between  the  fingers  of  a  female, 
a  devoted  wife,  to  compel  he*  to  discover  the  retreat  of  h«r 
VOL.  i. — L 


98  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND; 

husband ;  and  between  the  fingers  of  a  little  boy,  to  force 
him  to  discover  his  father.  And  by  his  orders,  the  soldiers 
blew  furiously  on  the  lighted  matches  until, — Oh !  horrible, 
one  of  the  fingers  of  the  miserable  sufferer, — a  woman, — 
had  actually  dropped  off!  A  thrill  of  horror  went  over 
our  spirits.  But  the  sudden  exclamation  came  frae  an 
elegant  and  witty  Countess,  that, — "  they  are  only  whigs, 
after  a,1 — puir  vulgar  creatures,  a'  beneath  the  notice  61  us, — 
or  oor  pity" — and, — I  dare  say  the  active  and  enterprising 
servants  o'  his  Majesty,  only  did  their  duty.'' — 

Instantly,  and  as  if  by  a  wizard's  rod,  every  emotion  of 
pity,  and  sympathy  was  laid  to  rest.  And  the  half-formed 
exclamation  of  pain,  and  regret  died  away  on  our  tongues. 
For  me,  I  would  not  have  lifted  up  my  pleading  voice  for 
the  MARTYRS — for  a  thousand  worlds  !  I  was  ashamed  to 
name  even  the  whigs:  It  was  perfectly  vulgar:  I  was 
almost  driven  forward,  with  the  rest  of  the  worshippers  o' 
the  Countess,  to  applaud  the  military  butcher,  Colonel 
Graham  of  Claverhouse,  as  an  active,  and  enterprising 
officer  of  his  Majesty"1  s  government. — Yes  !  and,  Master 
James,  I  fear  for  thee,  thou  art  only  in  soft  and  yielding 
seventeen.  Look  thou  on  thy  reverend  father,  there, — and 
on  mine :  and  say,  canst  thou, — wilt  thou  stand  up  by  their 
side ;  and  own,  with  the  decision  o'  a  true  Scot,  the  cause 
of  God,  and  thy  Kintry?  I  know  thou  wilt.  Helen 
Wardlaw  will,  this  day,  be  able  to  add  thy  name  to  the 
long  list  o'  noble  and  pious  youth,  whose  hearts  beat  leal 
to  their  Kintry,  and  the  gude  auld  cause!" 

Master  James  threw  himself  at  her  feet,  and  seizing  her 
hand,  kissed  it  with  enthusiasm,  as  he  exclaimed: 

"Helen  Wardlaw,  thou  hast  fixed  my  resolution  for  ever! 
The  God  o'  my  father,  and  my  mother,  who  is  the  God  o' 
oor  fathers  and  oor  deeply  injured  kintry,  I  wull  ne'er  for 
sake!  So  help  me  God!  And,  father  Cargil,  may  High 
Heaven,  this  day,  record  my  oath  in  the  register  o'  eternity, 
I  sail  ne'er  return  frae  followin'  after  you.  Whither  you 
go,  I  wull  go :  your  people  shall  be  my  people :  and  your 
God,  my  God !" 

"Amen!"  cried  the  beautiful  maiden,  as  the  clear  tear 
drops  of  joy,  pure  as  angel's  joy,  rolled  over  her  cheeks, 
and  fell  sparkling  among  the  rows  of  pearlins  and  diamonds 
on  her  white  bosom. 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  99 

"  My  child  !"  cried  father  Cargil,  "  thy  words  hae  sent 
ower  my  soul,  the  sweetest  joys  I  hae  tasted  in  the  days  o' 
my  sorrow!"  He  paused  for  a  moment  in  deep  silence:  a 
dark  cloud  passed  over  his  spirit :  tears  gushed  from  his 
eyes,  and  dropt  from  his  long  white  beard  upon  his  lap :  hut 
the  cloud  soon  vanished  away. 

"  Yes  !"  he  added  in  a  low  whisper,  "  I  see  the  coming 
event :  it  is  the  hour,  and  power  o'  darkness :  short,  but 
sharp !  And  be  HIS  haly  wull  dune.  In  the  day  o'  my  fall, 
and  when  the  standard-bearers  shall  faint,  thy  young  arm, 
my  bonny  son,  wull  bear  up  the  fallen  ensign  !  And  my 
God  wull  be  thy  God  in  that  hoor ;  and  my  people, — sad 
and  melancholy  though  the  remnant  be,  wull  be  tuy  people. 
In  the  blossom  o'  thy  early  days,  thou  shalt  sleep  by  my 
side :  oor  bairns'  bairns  wull  visit  oor  graves,  and  they 
wull  name  oor  names,  and  bless  oor  memory!  And  in 
yon  bright  warld,  the  while,  where  nae  man  o'  blude  and 
treason  embrues  his  hauns  in  the  blude  o'  the  martyred 
saunts,  or  mangles  wi'  his  greedy  steel,  their  pitiable  re 
mains, — there,  Master  James,  I  sail  welcome  thee  to  the 
croon  o'  martyrdom ! — and  at  a  far  remoter  period  shall 
we  welcome  to  her  croon,  and  her  sister  seraphs,  oor  bon 
ny  Helen  Wardlaw,  after  she  has  lang  ministered  to  the 
patriots,  and  seen  Scotland's  bricht  day  o'  salvation.  But 
noo  hear  me" — 

Before  Cargil  had  finished  his  sentence,  the  front-door 
of  the  Bailey's  house  was  suddenly  burst  open,  and  a  num 
ber  of  his  friends  rushed  in.  Among  them  were  the  two 
Hamiltons,  Burleigh  Stewart,  the  young  lords  Kardross, 
Semple,  Mauchlin,  and  Annandale  driving  up  the  rear. 


100  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 


CHAPTER  XI. 

'0 

Leather  awa'wi'  yer  oak  stick, 
Leather awa'wi'  yer  oak  stick  ; 
Down  wi'  the  Tory,  and  up  wi'  the  "Whig, 
Up  wi'  the  Whig,  and  down  wi'  the  Tory  ; 
Leather  awa'  wi'  yer  oak  stick ! 

OLD    BALLAD    OF    AVEXDALC. 

"Are  you  here,"  father  Cargil  ?  "  exclaimed  Burleigh, 
and  Sir  Robert  Hamilton  at  once, — '-save  him,  save  him, 
fair  Helen  !  We  are  pursued  :  the  Life  Guards  are  on  our 
track  ;  and  like  rampaging  lions,  they  wull  pounce  on  their 
prey  !  To  horse  !  To  horse  !  and  away !" 

In  an  instant  all  was  confusion.  Some  cried  one  thing, 
and  some  another.  The  Bailey  and  Cargil  alone  stood 
unmoved,  in  the  middle  of  the  fioqf,  like  other  old  men, 
whose  blood  is  cool :  and  who  wait  the  issue,  with  feelings 
very  different  from  those  of  the  young  and  fiery.  Helen's 
whole  anxiety  was  about  her  father  and  Cargil :  and  they, 
on  the  contrary,  were  concerned  only  for  Helen,  and  their 
beloved  young  friends,  brought  into  such  peril  for  their 
sakes. 

Master  James  reconnoitred.  He  perceived  that  a  crowd 
of  people  had  thrown  themselves  in  front  of  the  guards, 
and  were  impeding  their  march  on  the  Bailey's  house ; 
while  fierce  and  threatening  voices  gave  the  military  notice, 
"  that  if  they  dared  to  harm  their  gude  auld  Bailey,  or  his 
angel  daughter,  they  would  tear  them  into  spawls,  and 
scatter  them  lik  peelins  o'  in  gens  ! "  He  perceived,  there 
fore,  that  they  could  not  reach  the  house  for  some  time. 
He  instantly  called  Burleigh  Stewart  and  Helen,  and  stated 
to  them  his  plan :  Helen  immediately  summoned  her  man 
Sanders  Elshender,  and  assured  James  that  he  might  put 
perfect  confidence  in  him. 

"Sanders,"  cried  he,  "You  can  save  your  honoured 
master,  and  the  fair  Helen,  if  you  will  do  as  I  bid  you,  in- 
stanter.  Make  the  best  o'  yer  way  through  that  crowd, — 
they're  all  friens  to  the  Bailey,  and  through  thae  Life 
Guards.  Hie  thee,  to  the  sign  o'  the  Hart,  or  if 
not  there,  to  the  Bull's  head;  find  oot  young  Drum- 


OR,    THE    LAST   OF    THB    STTTARTS.  101 

mond, — tell  him  in  ae  word,  Sanders,  that  bonny  Helen 
Wardlaw,  and  his  dutiful  Tutor,  are  in  distress,  and 
wad  be  unco  glad  o'  his  presence,  a  few  brief  moments  !" 

Master  James  having  despatched  Sanders,  mingled  in 
the  crowd,  and  besought  the  leading  men  to  contrive  to 
keep  the  guards  in  play,  for  a  few  moments  ;  then  hurried 
back  into  the  house. 

The  military  approached  with  drawn  swords  ;  and  when 
they  reached  the  front  cf  the  house,  they  halted  amid  the 
populace,  and  formed  in  close  line,  in  the  middle  of  the 
street.  And  as  the  bugle  sounded  the  note  of  assault,  they 
forced  their  way  through  the  crowd,  with  sword  in  hand. 
The  multitude,  headed  by  some  desperate  men,  threw  them 
selves,  in  a  dense  column,  before  them,  threatening  to 
effect  by  numbers,  what  the  lack  of  arms  prevented  them 
from  easily  doing  in  an  instant.  The  soldiers  were  or 
dered  to  clear  their  way:  and  they  began  to  slap  the 
cheeks,  and  shoulders  of  the  rustic  heaps,  which  impeded 
their  march :  and  now  and  then  they  gave  a  cut  and 
prick  with  their  shabbies.  This  was  more  than  Glasgow 
Scotsmen  could  endure.  They  returned,  with  more  cour 
age  than  prudence,  these  military  salutations ;  and  lent 
some  well-directed  kicks  with  their  huge  steel-armed  shoes ; 
as  they  cried, — "tak  that  belly-fu',  ye  Southron  pock- 
puddins !" 

From  less  to  more,  they  came,  one  and  all  of  them,  to 
heavy  blows.  The  butcher  lads,  and  green  aproned  men 
tumbled  down,  more  frightened  than  hurt,  under  the  blauds 
of  the  long  swordsj  while  the  vigorous  party  of  the  Life 
Guards  dashed  the  populace  aside.  Such  was  the  terror  also 
of  the  naked  gleaming  swords,  that  none  ventured  to  offer 
any  serious  resistance.  And  the  soldiers,  at  last,  marched, 
two  and  two  abreast,  into  the  Bailey's  house. 

The  Bailey  presented  himself  in  front  of  them ;  while 
our  gallant  young  men  threw  themselves  around  Helen 
and  Cargil,  each  with  his  hand  on  the  hilt  of  his  sword, 

"  What  want  you  1  whom  seek  you,  in  my  hoose,  sol 
diers  ?  "  cried  the  Bailey. 

The  officer  minded  not  the  question  put  to  him,  but  cast 
his  eyes  fiercely  around  the  group,  in  front  of  him,  as  the 
hawk  does  on  the  covey  fresh  sprung,  while  he  muttered 
thro'  his  teeth ; 


102  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

"'Ere  we  'ave  ha  ole  conventicle,  by  St.  George!  ha* 
hever  there  was  hin  the  Heast,  hor  West  hend  hof  Hen- 
gland!" 

"Whom  seek  ye,  Sir  Caitiff!  I  hae  been  speerin'  at 
ye,"  repeated  the  Bailey.  "  Knowest  thou  not,  that  thou 
art  in  the  house  of  a  Glasgow  Bailey, — ane  o'  the  four 
Bailey's  o'  the  Cooncil  o'  this  gude  and  godly  city?  Hoo 
daur  ye  assail  people  in  their  ain  domicil  ?  Pit  doon  yer 
bit  shachlin  spear,  or  I'll  make  it  spin  ower  yer  head  in  a 
gifTy  !  Hae  ye  a  warrant,  duly  signed,  and  delivered  by 
the  hauns  o'  some  beadle,  or  some  heigher  power,  that  ye 
daur  tak  on  ye,  at  this  gaite?  Ken  ye  no  a  man's  richts 
in  his  ain  hoosehold,  whilk,  if  ye  war'na  a  puir  ignorant 
Southron, — a  Londoner,  I  hear,  for  ye  canna  speak  yer 
ain  vernacular  tu  ony  decent  purpose,  ye  micht  hae  ken 
ned,  was  a  man's  kingdom,  sacred,  by  law,  frae  a'  intru 
sions,  butt  permission,  asked  and  gi'en,  to  hae  ingress,  and 
egress,  and  regress.  •'  Is*  oo- — " 

"Soldiers!"  cried  the  officer, — "the  loons  hare  before 
you:  seize  the  two  hold  men,  and  hall  ike  bothers,  saving 
the  lady  honly." 

"Hark  ye,  Sir  Cateran!  if  ye  stir  anither  foot,  by  way 
o'  violent  ingress,  I  sail  convene  ye,  and  ilka  soul  o'  ye 
soldiers,  in  ane  action  o'  trespass  and  damages ;  and  ye 
sail  be  clapt  by  the  heels  in  bilbow,  as  reivers,  and  tres 
pass  maukers!" 

The  soldiers  now  made  a  desperate  rush  to  execute 
their  orders ;  but  not  before  the  more  rapid  movement  of 
our  young  gallants ;  who  hurried  the  Bailey  by  the  side 
of  Helen  and  Cargil,  into  their  rear ;  and  showed  their 
battle  blades.  The  soldiers  made  a  momentary  pause  at 
this  unexpected  movement :  for  they  had  conjectured  that 
they  were  already  terrified  into  a  surrender :  and  the  Bai- 
lev's  harangue,  \vhich  they  could  not  comprehend,  had 
strengthened  them  in  the  supposition. 

"  Stand  firm,  my  gallants !"  cried  Sir  Robert  Hamilton: 
and  they  immediately  closed  with  the  soldiers :  and 
Helen  and  the  aged  pastor  shuddered  at  the  clashing 
of  the  swords,  ancl  the  obstreperous  tumult  that  fol 
lowed. 

At  this  crisis,  young  Drummond  with  his  attendants 
arrived.  He  leapt  through  the  crowd,  into  the  middle  of 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE   STUARTS.  '103 

the  soldiers,  as  he  cried  out, — "A  truce,  my  gallants  !   who 
commands  here?" 

The  soldiers  paused ; — and  the  young  English  Officer 
turned  on  him  a  look  of  bitter  contempt. 

'•Drummond  commands  you,  Sir,  to  retire!" 

"And  what  Drummond  deigns  to  issue  the  horder, 
most  igh  and  mighty  Sir  Knight?'''  demanded  the  South 
ron  scornfully. 

,' Drummond  o'  Perth, — the  son  o'  my  father,  commands 
you,  Sir.  At  your  peril  assault  this  honest  and  peaceable 
family.  And  you,  ye  loons  !  and  brawling  gillies,  to  dis 
turb  at  this  gaite  the  peace  and  sanctity  o'  oor  honour 
able  Glasgow  Bailey's  fire-side;  are  ye  drunk,  or  mad, 
a'o'ye?"— 

"I  don't  know  ye,  Sir  Gascon! — seize  them  hall,  sol 
diers  !"  added  the  intrepid  soldier,  who  reflected  on  no 
thing,  and  judged  of  nothing ;  but  simply,  as  a  mechanical 
agent,  moved  fearlessly  on,  according  to  the  strict  letter  of 
his  instructions. 

In  the  fray,  amid  the  clashing  of  swords,  young  Drum 
mond  pushed  forward,  overthrowing  with  violence,  one  or 
two  of  the  soldiers,  who  happened  to  have  their  backs  to 
him,  and  made  his  way  to  the  presence  of  Helen,  and  the 
Bailey.  He  hurried  them,  together,  with  Cargil,  out  into 
the  back  court, — as  he  whispered  to  Helen  with  a  low  obei 
sance — "  My  sweet  lady !  what  a  scene  for  your  presence  P' 
Then  hastening  back  into  the  room,  he  eagerly  sought 
about  for  some  weapon,  for,  in  the  hurry  of  the  moment,  be 
had  forgot  to  gird  on  his  sword.  Most  happily  he  clapt  his 
eyes  on  the  poker, — and  it  was  one  of  no  small  dimensions, 
which  the  Bailey  had  been  using  to  raise  up  the  coals, 
and  peats  in  the  grate,  in  the  cold  winter  morning, — and 
which  he  had>left,  with  the  point  thrust  into  the  centre  of 
the  fire,  and  the  handle  resting  on  the  hearth.  Our  young 
nobleman,  who  was  large  for  his  years,  and  unusually 
athletic,  and  who'se  Scottish  spirit  was,  moreover,  inflamed 
to  a  towering  fury — grasped  exultingly  the  massy  poker, 
most  opportunely-— it  was  red  hot,  at  the  far  extremity,  and 
he  rushed,  pell  mell,  in  among  the  soldiers,  exclaiming — 
"  Now  hon  you  noblest  Henglish !  whose  blood  is  fetched 
from  fathers  of  war-proof." — "  Wish  not  one  man  more  from 
Hengland,"  continued  he,  imitating  the  uncouth  dialect  of 


104  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

our  young  officer,  whose  eye  had  watched  him,  and  who 
now  made  directly  at  him.  With  that  he  smashed  in  among 
the  soldiers,  and  laid  around  him  with  his  iron  mace.  And 
at  each  dash,  you  might  have  seen,  and  heard  the  red  hot 
iron  smoking  and  hissing,  as  it  came  into  contact  with 
the  bluffy  cheeks  of  the  soldiers,  and  their  thrapples,  and 
bellies.  And  none  of  them  that  were  struck,  waited  for 
another  visitation  of  the  kind.  They  puffed,  and  blew,  and 
sputtered,  and  bellowed,  and  jumped,  and  screamed,  and 
ran  pell  mell  out  of  doors.  Some,  more  venturous,  aimed  a 
blow  at  young  Drummond,  but  he  dexterously  evaded  the 
stroke  or  received  it  on  his  poker.  And  in  his  turn  he 
pushed  it  into  his  antagonist.  Some  threw  themselves  on 
him,  and  grasped  the  terrible  weapon.  But  no  sooner  did 
they  touch  it,  than  the  skin  came  off  in  blisters,  the  whole 
interior  of  their  palms  being  excoriated.  And  slapping  their 
hands,  and  shrieking  like  Indians,  they  retreated — tum 
bling  heels  over  head,  and  scrambling  on  all  fours — out  of 
the  street  door,  into  the  midst  of  the  shouting  multitude. 
In  a  space  shorter  than  I  have  taken  to  describe  it,  the 
house  was  cleared,  amid  the  peals  of  laughter  from  Perth, 
and  his  brave  associates,  which  was  vigorously  encored  by 
the  mob  without !  Drummond  planted  himself  in  the  midst 
of  his  allies,  in  the  Bailey's  door,  and  shook  his  iron  mace 
at  the  captain's  head,  amid  the  loud  huzzas  and  peals  of 
laughter,  of  the  Trongate  citizens.  And  his  keen  eye  hav 
ing  caught  that  officer  slyly  drawing  out  a  pistolet,  he  sal 
lied  out,  and  threw  himself  upon  him,  from  the  top  of  the 
door  steps,  and  with  one  well-directed  blow,  struck  him  to 
the  ground ;  then  seizing  him  by  the  cue,  and  the  profusion 
of  his  red  bushy  curls,  while  his  gallant  associates  Burleigh 
and  the  Hamiltons  took  care  that  no  one  should  interrupt 
the  fair  play,  he  applied  the  massy  poker,  (still  hot  enough) 
to  the  cue,  and  singed  it  off  in  a  giffy.  And  as  the  cock 
ney  tumbled  and  screamed  lustily,  he  continued  his  process 
of  castigation,  and  applied  his  hot  iron  to  the  broad  round 
curls,  which  were  formidably  marshalled  on  each  side  of 
the  soldier's  head,  before  and  behind  his  ears,  stiffened  and 
matted  with  pomatum — these  he  singed  off  also — and  then 
threw  the  terror-stricken  soldier  from  him,  all  smaistered, 
and  coomy,  and  seared  about  the  head  and  chouks,  like  any 
singed  sheep's  head.  At  last,  getting  upon  his  knees,  in  a 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  105 

bending  posture,  and  looking  around  him,  with  the  most 
rueful  face  imaginable, — the  soldier  began  to  comb  down 
with  his  fingers,  the  sad  remnants  of  his  curls, — and  hold 
up,  most  piteously,  before  his  eyes,  their  singed  and  crisp 
ed  fragments ! 

This  was  irresistible!  The  populace  roared  outright, 
and  shouted  and  hallooed,  over  the  disarmed  military,  as 
they  drove  them,  at  a  dog  trot,  down  the  street  toward  the 
cross ;  writhing  with  pain,  and  waddling  like  a  flock  of 
tame  geese,  and  keeping  up,  the  while,  their  flagging  cour 
age,  with  half-smothered  oaths,  and  breathings  of  vengeance 
— even  nothing  short  of  absolute  annihilation,  as  soon  as 
they  could  muster  their  auxiliaries! 

As  soon  as  the  coasts  were  clear,  young  Drummond  has 
tened  into  the  house,  and  with  much  gravity,  delivered  up 
his  novel  weapon  of  war  to  the  Bailey,  as  he  wraggishly  re 
peated  out  of  the  poet : — 

"  Scilicet  ut  ventres  lamna  candente  nepotum 
"  Eh  Bailey. 

"  Diceret  urendos,  correctus  ?" 

Then  having  received  the  attentions  of  Helen  Wardlaw, 
in  getting  a  few  cuts  and  scratches,  which  he  had  received 
in  the  stramash,  bound  up,  he  kissed  her  hand,  and  bade 
her  adieu.  And  calling  to  Master  James,  who  accompani 
ed  him  to  the  door,  he  added  in  a  half  serious  mood, — "  I 
must  hie  me  off, — and  so  must  you,  incontinent.  This  af 
fair  can  be  metamorphosed  into  a  frightful  piece  of  treason : 
and  it  will  soon  reach  the  ears  of  my  honoured  father  Perth, 
I  must  travel  ahead  of  the  rumour,  or  I  am  a  ruined  man. 
Verily,  Master  James,;> — he  added  in  allusion  to  the  device 
on  the  coat  of  arms  of  the  old  Earls  of  Perth, — "  I  am  lik 
to  be  on  a  green  hill,  seme,  of  galtraps:  and  I  seethe  scroll 
afore  my  waukin  een, — GANG  WARILY,"  yes!  James,  GANG 
WARILY  !  I  set  oot  this  instant,  and  if  you  cannot  accom 
pany  us, — consult  your  safety,  and  hasten  to  join  us,  in  two 
days,  at  the  extremity." 

He  departed  with  the  regrets  of  all  our  young  gallants. 
"What  a  pity!"  exclaimed  each  of  them,  "that  such  a 
brave  and  generous  youth  should  not  be  gained  over  to  the 
gude  auld  cause!" 


106  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

"  Yes !"  replied  Cargil,  "  Nae  ane  regrets  it  mair  than 
I  do.  But  the  wush  is  a  hopeless  ane.  It  is  wi'  him  as 
wi'  the  rest  o'  oor  noble  youth,  throughout  the  laun.  Gene 
rous,  high  minded,  lovers  o'  liberty  and  independence 
themsels,  and  brave  even  to  a  fault,  they  need  naething  but 
the  sicht  o'  oor  cruel  oppressions  and  sufferings,  to  rouse 
their  gallant  Scottish  souls,  into  a  haly  indignation  !  But, 
alas!  sirs,  the  training  and  discipline  o'  their  paternal 
domicils,  keep  them  far  oot  o'  the  sicht,  and  hearing  o'  Scot 
land's  iron-rod  oppression :  and,  then,  their  irreligion,  and 
vice,  and  ribaldry  whilk  they  daily  witness,  and  in  whilk 
they  daily  mingle,  send  a  palsy  ower  their  feelings  and  con 
sciences.  Sae  is  it  een,  wi'  Drummond.  Scotland's  groans 
reach  not  Perth's  Halls :  or  reach  them,  to  be  treated  wi1 
cruel  mockery.  Oor  next  meeting  wi'  this  gallant  spirit, 
may  be  in  the  ranks  o'  the  foeman — pitted  against  us,  in  the 
hoor  o1  oor  deadlie  conflict ! — But,  sirs,  this  is  not  the  place 
for  sic  melancholy  discussions.  Let  us  hence,  my  gallant 
associates!"  *' 


CHAPTER  XII. 

"  Full  many  a  stoic  eye,  and  aspect  stern, 

Mask  hearts  where  grief  hath  little  left  to  learn ; 

And  many  a  withering  thought  lies  hid — not  lost, 

In  smiles  that  least  befit,  who  wear  them  most." — BTROW." 

i  Cargil  and  his  youthful  guide  had  not  proceeded  far, 
when  their  attention  was  arrested  by  a  sudden  burst  of  mar 
tial  music  from  the  direction  where  the  life  guards  lay 
encamped.  The  protracted  roll  of  the  kettle-drum,  and  the 
fierce  clangor  of  the  bugle,  which  sounded,  "  to  arms,  to 
arms,"  fell  on  their  ear-  It  was  now  evident  that  the  de 
tachment,  which  had  suffered  a  defeat  at  the  Bailey's,  had 
reached  their  quarters,  and  had  given  the  alarm :  and  that 
the  whole  troop  was  now  hastening  to  spread  themselves, 
in  detached  parties,  over  the  streets,  and  main  roads  lead 
ing  out  of  the  city,  while  others  would  scour  the  city  and 
beat  up  every  lurking  place  of  the  Whigs. 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  107 

Master  James  could  not  conceal  the  anxiety  which  strug 
gled  in  his  soul.  He  took  the  arm  of  the  aged  pastor,  and 
quickened  his  step  in  deep  silence.  And  as  he  raised  his 
eyes  toward  the  place,  whence  the  military  summons  float 
ed  on  air,  he  ejaculated — "  He'll  be  massacred  afore  my 
very  een." — He  was  awakened  from  his  reverie  by  the 
sound  of  his  own  words,  which  he  had  unconsciously 
uttered. 

"  No,  Master  James,"  said  Cargil,  as  he  took  his  hand 
into  his,  "  My  time  is  not  yet  come.  But,  yet,  it  is  almost 
a  kind  o'  tempting  o'  Divine  Providence  to  be  on  the  street, 
in  thae  habiliments  o'  mine.  Thae  velvets,  and  the  shape 
o'  the  haile,  is  sae  strongly  presbyterian,  that  they  mak  a 
wanderer,  as  ken-speckle  to  the  dragoons  and  Southrons ; 
as  the  man  o'  their  ain  military  claith  and  cut,  is  to  his  ain 
comrades.  But  there  is  an  overruling  HAND,  and  I  should 
violate  my  ain  feelins,  did  I  doubt  HIS  special  care  o'  his 
puir  auld  servant.  A'  my  weary  Avanderins  are  chalked 
oot  by  his  sovereignty :  a'  my  sufferins  are  numbered :  a' 
my  '  tears  are  put  intil  his  bottle  :'  and  all  my  sorrows  re- 
gistered  in  his  beuk!  To  him  I  owe  my  hair  breadth 
escapes.  Thae  seventeen  years,  I  hae  served  him,  ilka 
day,  at  the  peril  o'  my  life ;  and  that  is  the  last  thing,  noo, 
they  can  tak  awa  frae  auld  Donald  Cargil.  Through  sim 
mer's  burnin'  days,  and  winter's  cauld  and  howlin  storms, 
I  hae  wandered  ower  mountain  and  dale,  over  kintry  and 
toon.  And  I  hae  ceased  not,  in  the  midst  o'  a'  my  weak 
ness,  "to  preach  CHRIST  JESUS, and  him  crucified,"  and  to 
du  my  best  to  rouse  up  my  slumbering  kintry,  and  the 
ministry  o'  the  Kirk.  HE  kens  a'  my  tears  and  waes,  I 
pour  them  oot  into  His  bosom.  HE  kens  a'  my  joys.  In 
a'  my  warslins  up  the  steep  and  rugged  paths  o'  duty,  in 
a'  my  afflictions,  and  God  has  filled  my  cup  up  to  the  brim, 
I  hae  neer  rued  the  .uptakin'  o1  His  cress !  I  hae  aften 
been  sair  forefouchton,  and  wearied  in  his  service.  But 

ne'er  hae  Ibeen  wearied  of  it And  noo" continued  he,  as 

they  turned  into  a  more  retired  street,  keeping  up  the  tone 
of  his  voice,  and  gestures,  as  if  talking  to  his  young  guide, 
so  that  a  straggling  passenger  could  not  have  perceived  the 
import  of  his  words, — And,  noo — Oh,  my  God,  Creator, 
Preserver, — I  am  sore  beset.  The  enemy  are  abroad,  and 
thy  puir  servant  is  ready  to  faint.  Cast  the  lap  o1  thy 


. 

108  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

cloak  ower  his  a,ttld  grey  hairs :  and  preserve  him,  and  thy 
young  servant,  this  aince,  and  we  shall  record  it  to  thy 
glory  when,  in  the  bright  day  o'  thy  Kirk's  salvation,  we 
sail  rehearse  the  memorials  o!  oor  deliverances." 

There  was  no  fear  in  Cargil's  soul;  nor  paleness  on  his 
cheek.  His  manner  rather  indicated  unusual  cheerfulness. 
He  urged  forward  with  a  firm  step.  '"Seek  we  Bell's 
Wynd,"  said  he.  ''There  dwells  ane  o'  my  worthy  pa 
rishioners,  whose  roof  has,  mair  than  aince,  sheltered  his 
auld  Pastor  when  pursued  by  the  foemen." 

In  a  brief  space  he  was  in  the  house ;  and  held  in  the 
warm  embraces  of  the  family.  But  they  could  not  conceal 
their  distress  to  see  him. .  They  knew  that  the  military 
was  abroad,  that  a  great  price  was  set  on  his  head :  that 
this  had  drawn  out  a  host  of  spies  and  informers  ;  and  that 
the  indiscreet  affection  of  some  of  his  old  parishioners  had 
let  too  many  into  the  secret  of  his  concealments;  and  they 
had  now  become  known. 

The  good  man  of  the  house  had  scarcely  returned  from 
the  upper  chamber,  in  which  he  had  left  Cargil,  when  the 
military,  and  a  multitude  of  townsmen  were  crowding  into 
Bell's  Wynd  from  the  High-street ;  and  some  of  the  ad 
vanced  guard  were  already  nigh  the  door.  In  the  first 
confusion  his  host  hurried  up  to  apprize  him  of  the  state  of 
matters,  and  to  bewail  his  impending  fate. 

"Ye  canna  escape,  beloved  pastor :  the  loons  hae  beset 
my  house:  and  they  hae  taen  possession  o'  the  lower 
apartments.  Had  we  but  got  a  moment's  warning  o'  yer 
comin',  I  could  hae  summoned  a  wheen  stalwart  lads,  who 
wi'  their  shoemaker  and  butcher's  gullies,  and  their  smith's 
forehammers,  micht  hae  cleared  the  Wynd  o1  them.  But 
waes  me  for  you !  my  gude  faither ;  I  am  single  haun'd. 
And  what  can  Saunders  Zeul  du  against  a  haile  host  o' 
airmed  men !" 

"  Bide  a  wee  bittock  !"  replied  Cargil,  as  he  continued 
hastily  to  put  on  the  last  of  his  new  suit  of  disguisement  ; 
and  stowed  away  his  black  velvets  into  a  corner — "I  canna 
gae  oot,  say  ye,  Sauners,  by  the  common  way  o'  egress  ? 
Then  I  canna  flee  awa'  frae  the  garret  winnock.  Aiblins 
I  might  escape  by  the  roof:  but  yer  steep  sklate  roofs  win- 
na  du  for  safe  footin'  for  an  auld  man, — to  leap  frae  roof  to 
roof,  or  dive  into  some  attic  dormitory  winnock.  And  sae, 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THB  STUARTS.         109 


I  mauft  een  gang  out  the  way  I  came  in.  And  harkee, 
Sauners  !  bide  ye  here  a  brief  space :  ye  sail  hear  o'  me. 
There  is  to  be  a  grand  Conventicle  in  the  woods  o'  Carls- 
ness,  May  neist.  See  that  ye  meet  me  there.  The  heads 
o'  the  sufferers  will  be  wi'  us." 

He  added  as  he  held  his  broad  blue  bonnet  in  his  hand, 
— "And  noo,  haly  Providence !  keep  this  gude  man,  and 
his,  frae  a'  skaith.  And  reward  him  for  the  cup  o'  com 
forts  and  the  shelter  he  has  gien  to  thy  servant.  May_  he 
and  his  ne'er  want, — and  may  they  ne'er  suffer  for  oor 
sake  ! — Farewell,  Sauners:  may  the  gude  wull  o'  him  wha 
dwelt  in  the  bush,  be  wi'  you  and  yours.  Thae  dogs  win- 
na  wag  their  tongues  at  me.  Be  you  still  and  keep 
close." 

He  instantly  proceeded  down  the  turnpike,  as  the  Scotch 
call  the  stair  way, — with  his  braid  bonnet  on  and  in  his 
suit  o'  grays,  and  he  mingled  among  the  crowd  who  filled 
the  house,  and  looked  on  while  the  soldiers  were  searching 
the  cellar  and  closets.  He  passed,  unmoved,  through  the 
bustling  soldiers  and  crowd  of  men  and  callans, — and  was 
taken,  by  them,  for  the  gude  man  of  the  house.  Some  of 
the  mob  were  threatening  the  soldiers  if  they  daured  to 
touch  a  hair  0'  gude  Donald  Cargil's  beard:  others,  in 
half  serious,  half  jesting  way,  were  recounting  "the  braw 
bludy  deeds11  o'  the  Life  Guard's  men,  while  the  merry 
troopers  received  the  plaudits,  and  backed  the  praise  with 
the  new  framed  oaths  of  the  Court :  some,  more  ventur 
ous,  were  contrasting  the  zeal  of  the  King's  servants 
against  the  solemn  league  and  covenants,  with  the  King's 
own  zeal  in  behalf  of  the  said  covenants,  when  on  his 
bended  knees,  in  the  palace  of  Scoon,  he  voluntarily  swore 
the  oath  of  the  national  covenant. 

"Ay,  ay!  right  voluntarily  he  did  it  too,  gin  we  may 
tak  the  word  o'  a  king,  ye  ken" — cried  another  burgess,  as 
he  held  the  sergeant  and  a  few  of  the  life  guard's  men 
about  him.  "And  may  be,  my  braw  lads  ye  dinna  ken 
ony  better.  When  the  deputation  frae  Scotland  arrived  at 
Breda,  worthy  Mr.  John  Livingston  was  amang  the  num 
ber.  He  sune  saw  through  him,  and  a'  his  hollow  disguis 
es, — and  sae  did  he, — as  ony  ither  worthy  Scotchman,  o' 
ony  gumpshon  at  a',  micht  haedune — for  e'en  while  they 
were  ripening  the  conditions  o'  his  hame  comin' — they 
VOL.  i. — K. 


110  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

found  him  oot  plottin  treason  against  his  ain  kingdom ; — 
for,  my  certie !  a  king  can  plot  treason  as  \veel  as  less 
men. — He  was  plotting  an  invasion  o'  his  kintry  through 
the  flanks  o'  the  Heelans,  by  the  instrumentality  o'  that 
vile  graceless  crater,  the  Marquis  o'  Montrose.  Weel,  ye 
see,  when  they  got  him  hame, — for  he  was  unco  easy  aboot 
the  conditions,  when  he  had  secret  intelligence  that  the 
crater  Montrose  was  grupped,  after  a  total  failzie, — haein' 
failed  to  tak  the  kintry  and  the  croon  by  force  o'  airms, — 
he,  "Charles,  becaum  as  tame  as  a  lamb, — he  set  out  wi'  the 
deputation,  whilk  by  nae  means  kenned  as  meikle  as  he 
kenned  aboot  things, — he  submitted  to  a'  terms, — agreed 
to  the  halsome  restrictions  under  whilk  the  croon  was 
tendered  to  him, — and  swore  the  great  aith  of  the  cove 
nants," 

"  Do  ye  presume  to  say  to  my  ain  face,  ye  leein'  rascal,  that 
the  king  took  the  aith  of  the  covenants  ?"  cried  the  officer 
whose  zeal  here  burst  out  beyond  bounds. 

"Say  it?— Du  I  say  it?" — replied  the  Burges,  "Yes; 
and'  the  hail  nation  kens  he  teuk  the  great  oath  on  his 
knees,  and  swore  on  the  pain  o'  damnation  to  his  soul, 
that  he  wad  keep  that  aith  o'  the  national  covenant.  Why, 
man,  ye  ten  unco  little  o'  Scottish  history.  But  I  bethink 
me,"  added  he  as  the  officer  retreated  under  the  laughter 
of  the  citizens, — "  a  soldier  ne'er  reads,  nor  thinks  ; — well, 
my  braw  lads!"  continued  he  to  the  dragoons,  "Patrick 
Gillespie,  wha  was  Principal  o'  oor  College,  Saunders 
Zeull,  ye  well  remember  him,"  he  added  with  a  wink 
and  a  nod  to  Cargil,  as  the  supposed  gude  man  of 
the  house, — "Weel,  Patrick  Gillespie  says  to  his  Majes 
ty,  we  disavow  a'  compulsions  o;  the  conscience :  and  we 
entreat  yer  Majesty,  in  God's  name,  not  to  take  this  great 
aith  o'  the  covenant  if  yer  Majesty  has  any  doubts  or  scru 
ples  on  yer  conscience.  And  what  think  ye,  Wattie  Hep 
burn,  was  his  Sacred  Majesty's  answer,"  said  the  Burgess 
with  an  expressive  look  and  pause. 

"Why,"  says  Wattie,  "he  wad  order  the  covenants  to  be 
burnt  by  the  hauns  o'  the  pyoty  coated  men, — and  yer 
knaves  Livingston,  Gillespie,  and  Douglass  to  be  flung, 
by  Auld  Nick,  into  the  bottomless  pit,  for  their  pains." 

"  Toot,  toot !  ye  profane  crater,  stop  ye  there.  But 
I'm  weel  served  for  speerin'  sic  a  question,  at  a  soldado ! 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  Ill 

Na,  na!"  continued  the  Burgess,  turning  him  round  to 
the  other  soldiers,  "King  Charles,  at  Scoon,  teuk  the  aith 
o'  the  covenants. 

"And  noo,  soldiers,  ye  are  a  pack  o'  gowks,  thus  to  be 
imposed  on ;  and  driven  on  at  this  gaite  to  persecute  the 
men  wha  hae  dune  nae  mair  than  yer  royal  maister,  oor  gra 
cious  sovereign  has  dune.  Hark  ye,  soldiers  !  you  are, 
noo-a-days,  the  only  ministers  o'  public  justice :  Ye  ocht 
to  gang  yer  ways  straight  to  Embro'  and  throw  into  Bil 
bo  auld  perjured  Rothes,  and  bloody  McKenzie  and  the 
remanent  members  o'  the  Cooncil, — fause  loons  !  and  also 
a'  the  Criminal  Lords,  (as  wi'  gude  sense  and  justice  they 
ca'  them,)  and,  I'm  thinkin'  ye  ocht  to  set  up  a  Coort  o' 
the  wisest  o'  the  Whigs,  and  bring  to  condign  punishment 
the  traitors  against  the  covenant,  whilk  the  king,  oor 
Lord  teuk,  on  his  knees,  at  Scoon  !  Depend  on  it,  my 
lads  !  yer  officers  are  imposing  in  a  rascally  mainer  on  ye. 
Ye'll  a'  be  hanged  by  the  king,  some  day, — when  he'll  tak  it 
intil  his  head  to  remember  his  aith !  and  I  am  tauld  he 
has  already  got  some  qualms  o'  conscience ;  and  the  day 
wull  come  when  nettles  wull  grow  in  the  court  yard  o' 
Roseneath,  and  yer  Claverse  wull  fa'  in  battle  and  tumble 
the  crane  oot  ower  the  craig,  like  a  pair  o'  auld  boots !  as 
sure's  my  name's  Tammus  Tweedie  !" 

While  this  dialogue  was  going  on  among  the  guards 
stationed  beneath,  and  while  things  were  coming  to  a  cri 
sis,  which  must  soon  end  in  blows  the  other  officers  hav 
ing  finished  their  search  below,  proceeded  up  stairs. 

Father  Cargil  stood,  all  this  time,  wedged  up,  in  such  a 
manner,  that  he  could  not  move  towards  the  door.  And 
had  he  shown  any  unusual  impatience  to  extricate  himself, 
he  would  have  caused  suspicions  immediately  to  fall  upon 
him.  He  stood  still,  and  with  calmness  waited  the  result. 
And,  upon  the  rush  of  the  soldiers  up-stairs,  he  moved 
gradually  towards  the  door,  slyly  pulled  Master  James 
by  the  sleeve,  who,  not  having  perceived  him  in  the  crowd, 
but  believing  him  to  be  up-stairs,  was  leaning  against  the 
wall  in  great  distress  : — and  slyly  giving  him  a  wink  from 
beneath  his  broad  blue  bonnet,  he  walked  out  with  measured 
steps,  like  one  in  no  especial  hurry. 

"  Let  the  hounds  noo  seek  the  prey," — said  he, — "  the 
lair  is  empty.  The  red  deer  has  the  wind  o'  the  hunts- 


112  THE  WHIGS  or  SCOTLAND: 

man." — And  taking  master  James'  arm  he  hurried  up  the 
High-street. 

Every  thing  indicated  a  hot  search.  It  was  the  design 
of  the  arch-bishop  and  his  military  aids,  to  sweep  Glas 
gow,  that  day,  as  with  a  drag  net ;  in  order  to  take  our 
party  who  were  justly  considered  the  leaders  of  the  whigs, 
in  the  West. 

Cargil  and  James  pursued  their  way  up  the  Deanside- 
Brae,  and  down  the  Rotten  Row.  And  hurrying  from  one 
obscure  lane  to  another,  they  urged  forward  their  retreat, 
until  they  reached  another  of  Cargil's  hiding-places. 

When  they  advanced,  they  found  the  doors  and  win 
dows  shut,  Cargil  knocked  loudly.  Upon  this,  they  could 
hear  a  bustling,  and  rushing  within.  In  a  few  moments, 
the  door  opened  slowly  on  Cargil :  while  a  dark  eye,  with 
a  searching  look,  fell  on  his  youthful  companion ;  as  it 
measured  him  from  head  to  foot ;  and  glanced,  in  con 
temptuous  scorn  over  his  scarlet,  and  lace. 

"  Come  in,  come  in,  father  Cargil." — And  though  the 
words  were  addressed  to  Cargil,  the  eyes  of  the  speaker, 
rested  wholly  on  Master  James. 

"Ye're  not  a  prisoner,  I  hope  in  mercy!"  added  the 
Argus,  after  a  painful  suspense,  and  as  he  could  contain 
himself  no  longer. 

Cargil  whispered  a  sentence  into  his  ear :  and  the  stern 
features  of  the  Covenanter  instantly  relaxed  into  a  smile : 
and  carefully  shutting  the  door,  and  bolting  it,  he  embraced 
both  of  them  very  affectionately,  and  with  tears  in  his 
eyes. 

He  led  Cargil  eagerly  forward,  and  presented  him  to  his 
family,  and  to  the  meeting.  It  was  a  group  of  his  parish- 
oners  assembled  for  social  worship. 

"Beloved  pastor!"  cried  a  venerable  old  man,  one  of 
the  elders  of  the  Landward  parish, — whose  hair,  as  white 
as  the  snow  wreath  on  the  top  of  Darngavel,  fell  in  a 
profusion  of  curls  on  his  shoulders  and  bosom, — "oor 
souls  within  us  praise  and  bless  HIS  name,  that  we  aince 
mair  see  ye  alive !  we  had  just  heard  a  doleful  tale ; — and 
man,  woman,  and  tairne  lifted  up  their  voices  and  wept, — 
when  it  was  tauld  that  Donald  Cargil  was  taken :  and  that 
yer  bludy  baptism  had  been  nearly  consummated.  Oor 
hearts  sank  within  us :  and  thae  auld  een,  whilk  had  wept. 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  113 

until  I  thought  that  there  were  nae  mair  tears  in  them, — 
wept  bitter  tears  for  you,  our  unco  dear  auld  pastor !  and 
we  had  just-assembled  here,  wi'  ane  accord,  after  the  ex 
ample  o'  oor  Maister's  disciples  in  the  case  o'  Peter, — to 
mak  instant  and  earnest  prayer  for  you,  that  ye  micht  get 
deliverance  frae  the  enemy's  power  :  or  grace  to  finish  yer 
course  wi'  joy !  and  lauded  be  his  name,  he  has  given  you 
to  oor  vows;  and  we  see  ye  alive !" 

The  old  pastor  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  looked  around 
him:  and  beheld  the  leading  members, — and  the  elders, — 
even  all  of  them  who  had  survived  the  bitter  storm  of 
persecution,  thus  far, — who  like  so  many  Aarons  and  Hurs, 
had,  in  the  former  sunny  days  of  his  ministry,  borne  up 
his  hands.  He  sat  down  in  the  midst  of  them ;  covered 
his  face  with  his  hands,  and  wept :  they  looked  on  him, 
and  wept  also :  there  was  not  a  dry  eye  in  the  whole 
group. 

In  a  short  space  his  mind  was  composed.  He  rose  up; 
and  as  if  the  events  of  the  day  had  gone  from  his  memory, 
like  the  dream  of  a  summer's  morning,  he  proceeded  in 
his  official  duties.  In  those  passing  meetings,  when  Provi 
dence  threw  an  opportunity  in  their  way,  the  pastors  of 
those  days,  seized  the  few  moments  allowed  them.  Every 
one  felt  the  urgent  necessity  laid  on  them.  Time  was  of 
inestimable  worth :  they  had  none  to  throw  away.  The 
next  hour  might  see  them  dispersed; — or  in  the  hands  of 
the  foemen. — Cargil  offered  up,  first,  a  solemn  prayer : 
and  then  he  addressed  them,  as  he  used  to  do,  in  the  pulpit 
of  the  Landward  kirk. 

It  was  a  specimen  of  the  simple,  pathetic,  and  sublime; 
which  the  Scottish  pastor  occasionally  displays,  as  well  in 
the  matter,  as  in  the  manner,  of  his  messages ;  when  look 
ing  forward,  over  the  brief  space  of  time, — and  the  still 
more  brief  span  of  human  existence,  into  the  deeply 
solemn,  and  awful  realities  of  eternity :  or  when  looking 
on  the  inestimable  worth  of  immortal  souls;  or  when 
conceiving  of  the  approaching  scenes  of  death,  judgment, 
and  eternity: — or  when  urging  the  duty  of  instantly 
making  the  necessary  preparations  to  meet  these  scene*, 
and  the  presence  of  the  Judge  of  all ; — he  pours  forth  his 
arguments,  and  expostulations,  and  entreaties,  in  im 
passioned  language; — and  implores  his  beloved  flock,  by 

K* 


114  THE    WHIGS   OF    SCOTLAND: 

all  that  they  hold  dear  in  life ;  by  the  holy  God ;  by  the 
death  and  atonement  of  Him  who  hung  upon  the  cross ; 
by  the  expectations  and  anxieties  of  a  dying  hour,  when  all 
human  hopes  perish :  by  the  immortal  glory  of  Heaven ; 
and  by  the  fearful  doom  of  eternity ! 

Such  was  the  present  exhibition  of  Cargil.  He  always 
possessed  the  overpowering  animation  of  the  Scottish 
pastor :  in  the  pulpit  he  was  more  dignified :  in  the  con 
venticle,  more  familiar.  There  was  something  unusually 
interesting  in  his  countenance ; — there  was  that  in  it  which 
struck  awe  into  the  beholder,  and  at  the  same  time,  some 
thing  so  lovely  and  sweet,  that  it  gained  the  affections  of  all. 
Nothing  could  excel  his  fine  face,  when  lighted  up  by  the 
excitement  of  the  pulpit  exercise.  His  deep-toned  and 
musical  voice,  was  in  perfect  unison  with  his  grave  and 
placid  countenance ;  and  lent  force  to  the  dignity  of  the 
speaker.  His  singular  pathos,  which  revealed  the  vehe 
ment  sensibilities  of  his  soul,  as  it  put  forth  its  powerful 
energies  over  the  heart  of  his  audience, — produced  extra 
ordinary  effects !  He  did  not  terrify :  he  did  not  strike 
the  mind  dumb  with  amazement.  The  audience  became 
oppressed  with  sorrow  as  he  spoke :  and  their  labouring 
hearts  gave  vent  to  their  feelings  in  floods  of  tears  ! 

He  was  approaching  the  close  of  his  touching  appeal, — 
and  giving  utterance  to  these  words  of  Jesus  Christ, — 
what  is  a  man  profited  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world, 
and  lose  his  own  soul :  or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  ex 
change  for  his  soul  ?• — when  the  sudden  alarm  given,  by 
their  sentinel,  that  the  enemy  was  approaching, — con 
strained  him  to  break  off.  He  raised  his  eyes  towards 
heaven,  and  breathed  this  short  prayer, — "  Into  thy  hands, 
O,  oor  God  !  we  commit  oorsels :  and  that  cause  whilk  is 
thine  ain  /" 

In  an  instant  while  the  people  disappeared  in  the  lane, 
in  the  rear  of  the  house,  and  over  the  garden  wall, — the  most 
active  of  the  young  men  had  Cargil  and  Master  James 
conveyed  up  stairs.  And  their  ingenuity  suggested,  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye,  a  scheme  of  concealment.  They 
hastened  to  conceal  them  in  a  deep  recess;  and  then 
placed  a  shelf  containing  a  pile  of  books,  in  the  front 
of  it. 

The  soldiers  had  received  certain  information  from  a 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.          115 

spy,  that  Cargil,  and  another  Whig  had  been  seen  going 
into  that  house.  The.  officer  stationed  a  soldier  at  each 
door  and  window  in  the  inside,  and  proceeded  to  institute 
a  diligent  search.  They  overturned  all  the  beds ;  and 
thrust  their  swords  through  them,  to  make  sure  work. 
They  rummaged  every  corner,  and  closet,  and  hole,  be 
ginning  at  the  cellar.  They  searched  even  behind  the  ceil 
ing  :  they  ascended  into  the  attic  story,  and  examined  every 
recess  and  opening.  In  the  eagerness  of  the  search,  the 
zeal  of  the  officer  out-stripping  his  prudence :  he  had 
reached  forward  to  look  into  a  dark  place,  immediately 
under  the  high  slanting  roof; — and,  losing  his  centre  of 
gravity,  he  tumbled  into  a  part  of  the  garret  floor,  which, 
through  the  careful  economy  of  the  landlord,  had  not  been 
laid  with  planks : — but  which  had  only  been  lathed  and 
plastered  below.  He  fell  headlong  through  the  cieling; 
and  like  a  hero  of  Homer,  on  the  battle  ground,  he  was 
prostrated  at  his  huge  length,  on  the  floor  below,  enveloped 
in  fragments  of  lath ;  and  broken  plaister :  and  a  suffocating 
cloud  of  dust. 

Just  at  the  moment  of  this  catastrophe,  a  soldier  had 
been  eying  the  books,  in  the  room,  below  the  garret  floor. 
And  he  was  suspecting,  that  it  was  not  for  nothing  that 
these  books  were  rather  out  of  their  way,  and  so  nicely 
crammed  into  the  wall  press,  there.  And  he  actually  had 
his  hand  on  one  of  them,  in  order  to  pull  it  out,  to  get 
a  peep  into  the  recess ;  to  ascertain  how  deep  it  might 
possibly  be,  and  what  it  might,  happily  contain  besides  books ; 
when  the  faithful  Meg  Munro,  who  had,  with  keen  eyes, 
been  watching  the  movements  of  this  soldier  :  and  had 
been  very  clamorous  in  expressing  her  fears,  '  that  he  was 
gaun  to  steal  her  Master's  beuks  and  other  gear,' — scream 
ed  out, — "see  till  him,  noo,  the  thievish  loon,  he's  begun  to 
steal  oor  beuks !" 

These  words  reached  the  ears  of  the  prostrate  officer,  a 
moment  after  he  had  fallen ;  and  as  he  was  beginning  to 
gather  up  his  huge  bulk ;  and  Avas  examining,  with  most 
rueful  looks,  his  head,  and  ribs,  and  hinderlands.  And  the 
next  moment,  with  a  grotesque  mixture  of  ejaculations,  and 
curses,  he  metamorphosed  his  crying  wry  face  into  a  terri 
ble  frown  upon  the  soldier,  and  commanded  him  to  refrain, 
and  let  the  books  alone. 


116  THE  WHIGS  or  SCOTLAND: 

"Books!  knave!"  continued  he,  as  his  face  was  lighted 
up  with  a  bitter  and  sarcastic  smile.  "  Books !  verily,  a 
soldier  steal  books !  A  life  guards  man  take  it  into  his 
head  to  read !  By  the  everlasting  Sathan,  then  ye're  not 
going  to  live  long,  if  ye  be  seized  with  that  kind  of  fit  of 
madness!" 

He  now  summoned  his  party  together ;  and  writhing  and 
groaning  with  pain,  he  succeeded  in  telling  them  that — 
"  the  Whig  priest  was  certainly  seen  to  henter  this  ere  ouse  ; 
hand  now  hall  hof  them  ad  hocular  demonstration !  ay, 
faith,  hand  I  ave  ad  more  than  hocular  demonstration — ho ! 
my  poor  shivered  bones  ! — that  e  his  not  hin  this  ouse,  nor 
habout  hit,  from  the  roof  tree,  down  to  the  cellar."  And  he 
added  with  an  oath  not  to  be  recorded — "  Hold  Mahoon,  hor 
the  hauld  deel,  as  the  Scotch  call  im,  must  ave  habsolutely 
elped  im  hof,  being  one  hof  is  hown  servants — scudding  hit 
hon  ha  broomstick,  through  some  crack,  hor  cranny,  hin 
the  door,  hor  the  windur :  hand  as  borne  im  through  the 
hair  !  Hand,  so,  my  gallants,  baiting  my  loss  hof  the  three 
thousand  silver  merks — ho  !  my  crushed  limbs  ! — they  be 
hall  poundered  intur  a  jelly r — so  hit  will  be  hall  to  the 
same  heffeck ;  has  the  colonel,  hor  the  council  could  only 
ave  sent  im  that  same  way,  to  Beelzebub's  dominions,  by  ha 
good  empen  rope,  eh? — ho  my  cracked  ribs,  hand  my 
haching  ead  !  I  ham  habsolutely  pounded  to  ha  jellyr ! — 
Elp  me  to  my  quarters,  soldiers !  I  leave  my  death  hon  the 
Whiggamores  !  Ho  !  curses  hon  the  Whigs  !  Good 
eavens  !  if  there  be  hany  eavens,  save  my  soul,  hif  I  ave  a 
soul !  when  I  die,  hif  I  must  die !  Ho  !  ho  !  there's  been 
murder  ere,  this  very  day,  by  the  Whigs,  I  trow ! — For 
ward,  march  !" 

While  the  soldiers,  with  difficulty  suppressing  their 
laughter,  were  supporting  him  down  the  street,  Cargil  and 
Master  James  lost  no  time  in  effecting  their  speedy  retreat 
from  the  rear  of  the  building. 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.          117 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

"  Give  me,  Heaven !  a  gude  Scotch  tongue,  and  a  wee  bairne's 
simplicity  !" — AN  OLD  PROVERB. 

Scarcely  had  they  reached  a  friend's  house  in  the  Rot 
ten  Row,  and  drunk  a  cup  o'  cauld  water,  and  eaten  a  cake 
o'  oaten  meal,  when  another  file  o'  soldiers  on  foot,  was 
seen,  by  his  watchful  host  Robert  Bruce,  of  that  ilk,  march 
ing  slyly  up  in  the  steps  o'  a  spy  and  informer.  The 
neighbours,  a  few  o'  his  faithful  and  affectionate  parishion 
ers,  procured  his  escape.  They  raised  a  scuffle .  laid  t\va 
three  weel  applied  looners  to  the  chouks  and  hurdies  o'  the 
spy,  and  his  coadjutors.  Cargil,  in  the  confusion,  losing 
sight  of  Master  James,  had  thrown  himself  over  the  garden 
wa'f  in  the  rear  o'  the  hoose,  into  a  narrow  lane,  and  dis 
appeared.  In  pursuin'  his  way  frae  the  Deanside  Brae 
into  the  High-street,  he  met  full  in  the  face  two  dragoons. 
No  wonder  !  Ilka  street  was  teemin'  wi'  them.  He  walk 
ed  up  wi'  admirable  presence  o'  mind,  and  hummed  a  tune.. 
One  o'  them  asked  him  'pray,  sir,  what  o'clock  is  it?'  '  It 
is  past  six,'  said  Cargil.  The  other  started,  "  That  is  the 
man  we  seek,"  cried  he,  "  I  ken  his  voice  weel." 

That  moment  Cargil  plunged  into  an  obscure  close,  and 
ran  forward  until  he  turned  a  corner.  All  this  was  effect 
ed  before  the  soldier  could  convince  his  comrade  that  this 
man,  walking  so  much  at  his  ease,  was  Cargil.  They  set 
out  in  full  trot,  and  directing  their  course  down  the  High- 
street,  they  kept  a  strict  look-out  on  the  lanes,  and  rows  of 
cottages,  at  that  time,  opposite  the  college,*  and  the  ruins 
of  the  Grey  Friars,  in  hopes  that  the  Conventicle  man 
might  make  his  appearance  again.  Cargil  had  directed 
his  retreat  on  the  college  grounds.  He,  therefore,  did  make 
his  appearance  in  the  High-street,  nearly  opposite  the  col 
lege  gate,  from  a  lane  between  a  few  cottages.  But  he  had 
not  reached  the  middle  of  the  street,  when  his  ear  caught 
the  dragoons'  shout  which  they  raised  at  the  discovery. 
He  directed  his  course  to  the  spot  where  the  Grey  Friar's 
church  had  stood,  and  which  had  been  thrown  down  by  a 

*  How  different,  in  those  days,  was  the  High-street,  from  what  it  now 
is,  opposite  the  College ! 


118  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

violent  storm  some  thirteen  years  before  this.  But  perceiv 
ing  no  prospect  of  a  hiding-place  among  the  ruins,  or  in 
the  vicinity,  he  turned  suddenly  down  the  college  garden 
wynd,  and  in  through  Sucky  Langthrapple's  Close,  and 
threw  himself  on  the  mercy  of  the  inmates  of  the  first  door 
he  found  open.  "  Donald  Cargil  is  pursued  by  the  enemy," 
cried  he,  out  of  breath,  "  and  he  throws  himself  on  your 
honour  and  mercy ;  wha  eer  ye  be,  ye'fl  no  betray  him." 

To  his  utter  astonishment  he  discovered  that  he  had  ac 
tually  entered  the  house  of  one  of  the  soldiers  of  the  gallant 
Scottish  dragoons.  A  tall  female  arose  and  met  him.  She 
was  dressed  in  a  plain  dress,  and  coarse,  but  with  that  taste 
and  neatness  which  characterizes  a  Scottish  soldier's  wTife, 
who  had  received  a  Scottish  education,  and  had  probably 
seen  better  days. 

'•  I  am  a  soldier's  wife,"  cried  she,  but  a  smile  on  her 
fine  countenance  chased  away  his  fears.  "  You  have  ap> 
pealed  to  oor  honour,  and  the  honour  o'  a  soldier's  wife  has 
ne'er  been  appealed  to,  in  vain.  Come  in,  you  sha'nna  be 
betrayed  by  me." 

He  had  not  been  secreted  many  minutes  by  the  soldier's 
wife,  when  a  soldier  walked  in.  It  was  her  husband.  "  I 
hae  had  a  heat  to  nae  purpose,  Avifie !  after  that  thin  lank 
Whig.  My  certie!  though  an  auld  man,  he  rins  glegly. 
His  aiild  pow,  let  me  see  noo,  wad  hae  been  worth  three 
thoosand  gude  siller  merks !  That  wad  hae  placed  you 
and  I,  wifie!  on  a  pretty  wee  farm,  and  a  bonny  cottage,  wi' 
a  bit  green,  and  a  ripplin'  burnie  rinnin'  by,  and  murmur- 
in'  through  the  copse  wood,  and  lang  yellow  broom  !  And, 
then,  I  could  hae  retired,  and  left  aft' the  " killin'  trade"  as 
the  Whigs  ca'  it.  And  may  be,  dinna  misca'  it,  after  a' !" 

"  And  my  braw  Bauldy,"  replied  his  pretty  wife,  with  a 
smile,  "could  you,  noo,  hae  enjoyed  yoursel,  and  the  com 
pany  o'  yer  wee  anes  prattlin'  on  yer  knee,  had  ye  made 
three  thoosan'  merks  oot  o'  human  blood  and  butchery  ? 
Could  ye  hae  kneeled  aside  me,  yer  ain  wife,  and  thanked 
kind  Heaven  for  a'  yer  comforts,  when  thae  comforts  were 
boucht  by  blude  and  crime  ?" 

"  What  for  no,  woman  !"  cried  the  soldier,  "  It's  no  the 
blude  o'  a  nobleman,  or  o'  ane  honest  liege,  but  the  vile  pud 
dle  that  creeps  in  the  veins  o'  a  Whiggamore  fanatic !  A 
base  rebel  loon  wha  assembles  the  lieges  at  his  canting  Con- 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  H9 

venticles,   '  thae  rendevouzes  o'  rebellion,'  as  his  maist  sa 
cred  Majesty,  and  his  Cooncil  ca's  them." 

"  Na,  na,  Bauldy,  I  ken  yer  feelings  better,  my  braw 
callan.  Ye' re  no  speaking  as  ye  think,  this  time,  I  hae 
heard  ye,  and  seen  ye  shudder  at  the  monsters,  Claverse  and 
Dalziel,  and  Kennoway;  and  at  the  deeds  of  thae  swash 
bucklers,  the  life  guards.  The  dragoons  o'  yer  Scottish 
regiment,  thank  God,  are  no  the  life  guards.  It  was  poor- 
tith  and  cruel  injustice  that  drove  ye  into  the  military  life, 
at  a  time  when  the  gallant  soldier  nae  longer  fights  the 
battles  o'  his  kintry,  but  turns  his  weapons  on  its  bowels ! 
I  speak  what  ye  weel  ken,  Bauldy!" 

"  What,  woman !  think  ye,  I  wad  na  hae  ta'en  aff  that 
Whig's  head  ?  Think  ye,  I  wad  na  hae  whanged  it  aif 
like  the  stalk  o'  an  ingen.  Three  thousand  merks  o1  siller 
are  no  to  be  sneezed  at,  by  ane  honest  Scottish  soldier !  And 
yespecially  when  he  can  come  honestly  at  it,  ye  ken,  by 
justifying  a  Whig,  and  slicing  up  Whiggery!  But  e'en 
tak  it  yer  ain  way,  my  sweet  wifie,"  added  he  in  a  soothing 
tone,  and  asked  "ifitwasna'  near  brose  time  yet,  for  he 
was  unco  sharp  set." 

As  he  spoke  this  he  began  to  unbuckle  the  belt  of  his 
long  sword  :  and  laying  his  steel  cap  beaming  on  the  floor, 
he  took  up  his  little  prattler,  in  his  arms, — a  pretty  boy 
with  yellow  curly  locks,  and  laughing  blue  een. 

"  Come,  wee  Davy !  what  hae  ye  been  aboot  a'  day  ? 
Bonny  laddie,  Heelan'  laddie!" 

After  a  few  minutes'  prattling,  and  tickling,  and  worry 
ing,  the  wee  laddie  looked  him  earnestly  in  the  face  and 
said — "  Daddy,  de  ye  ken  wha's  in  the  hcose  ?" 

His  mother  from  behind  the  soldier  knit  her  brows,  in  a 
terrible  frown  ;  and  shook  her  fist  at  him  slyly. 

Davie  did  na  ken  the  meaning  of  all  this.  His  kind 
little  heart  and  soul  had  no  idea  of  his  father's  employ 
ment.  He  did  not  know  yet,  that  one  man  sold  himself, 
for  silver,  to  do  any  thing  which  an  unprincipled  com 
mander  might  order  him  to  do.  He  had  not  yet  found  out 
by  experience  that  there  were  men, — that  his  own  father 
was  one  of  them,  who  made  it  his  trade  to  kill  his  bro 
ther  man,  at  the  word  o'  another ; — because  that  brother 
did  not  think  and  believe  as  he,  and  his  commanders  think 
on  religious  matters!  Wee  Davie  had  not  felt  the  influence 


120  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

of  this  knowledge  on  this  unspoiled  kind  heart.  Like 
other  sweet  children,  he  knew  no  guile.  He,  therefore, 
repeated  the  question  in  the  perfect  simplicity  of  his  heart, 
thinking  it  would  give  pleasure  to  his  father. — 

"Dee  ye  ken,  Daddy!  wha's  in  the  hoose? — Guess." 
"In  the  hoose,  my  wee  man:  why,  wha  should  be  in  the 
hoose,  but  yer  ain  dear  ma,  and  yer  ain  wee  brithers  and 
ulsters." 

Davie  laughed  merrily,  and  clapt  his  little  hands,  and 
crowed  because  'he  kenned  mair,'  he  said,  than  his  father." 
"Why,  Daddy,  gude  auld  Donald  Cargil' s  in  the  hoose! 
He  cam  bickering  and  running  in,  a  bittock  ago,  a'  oot 
o*  breath, — and  said  'auld  Donald  Cargil,'  said  he,  that's 
the  way,  Daddy,  that  we  kenned  his  name — auld  Donald 
Cargil,'  says  he,  'comes  in  to  tak  shelter  wi'  ye — ye'll  no 
put  him  oot, — the  enemy  is  pressing  hard  on  me' ;  thae 
vile  bodies,  wha  can  they  be,  Daddy,  that  wad  be  sae 
naughty  as  to  chase  auld  Donald  Cargil  ?  I  can  think  o1 
nane  wha  wud  du  it,  unless  they  I  read  of,  in  my  carrat- 
ches,  'the  deevil  and  his  angels.' — Speak,  daddy, — what  for 
look  ye  sae  wild  and  staring  at  me. — Oh !  Daddy,  auld 
Donald  is  a  bonny  auld  man  His  hair  is  sae  white ; — 
and  it's  divided  sae  nicely  down  the  front  this  gate," — and 
Davie,  parted  his  curly  locks  in  like  manner  in  front ;  and 
it  fa's  doon  in  lang  bushy  curls  on  his  neck  and  shoulders. 
I  do  love  auld  Donald  Cargil.  Dinna  ye  love  him,  daddy? 
I  hae  been  wonnerin'  whaur  he  bides :  mither  put  him  into 
the  meikle  press  ben  in  the  spence  there;  and  steeket  the 
door  on  him ;  just  a  wee  while  afore  ye  came  in,  at  the 
street  door." 

As  Davie  thus  ran  thoughtlessly  on ;  the  soldier  looked, 
in  speechless  amazement,  first  at  his  bairn ;  then  at  his 
wife ;  who  threw  herself  on  her  knees,  clasping  wi'  ae 
arm,  her  wee  Davie,  as  he  sat  on  his  father's  knee ;  and 
with  the  other  arm,  she  embraced  her  gallant  soldier's 
neck.  And  before  his  words  could  find  utterance,  Donald 
Cargil  presented  himself  before  the  dragoon. 

'  There  he  is,  daddy — I  tauld  ye  sae, — Is  na  Donald  an 
unco  bonny  auld  man  ? '  And  Davie  threw  himself  down 
off  his  faither's  knee,  and  ran  to  the  old  pastor,  exclaim 
ing — '  Ye' re  no  gaun  awa'  already,  afore  ye  speak  to 
feither!' 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.         121 

Cargil  took  Davie  up  in  his  arms,  and  kissed  him; 
and  laying  him  in  his  bosom,  supported  by  the  one  hand 
he  raised  the  other  toward  heaven,  and  offered  up  a  prayer : 
*  May  the  Almighty  God  bless  thee,  my  sweet  wee  bairne, 
wi'  a'  purchased  and  special  blessings  ! ' — and  his  tears,  in 
large  drops,  fell  on  the  face  of  the  lovely  child.  Davie 
looked  amazed,  first  at  Cargil :  then  at  his  mother ;  and 
then  at  his  father ;  and  wondered  why  they  all  cried,  and 
then  he  cried  too ; — and  kissed  Cargil's  cheek ;  and  fondled 
with  his  fingers,  in  his  long  beard,  while  he  looked  on  his 
parents  and  sobbed. 

The  soldier  rose,  stept  to  the  window,  and  dashed  a  tear 
from  his  eyes ;  then  turning  him  round,  he  took  his  little 
boy  out  of  the  bosom  o'  Cargil,  and  pressed  him  to  his  own 
bosom. 

"  Father  Cargil — for  I  maun  e'en  ca'  ye  sae, — did  we  ken 
each  ither  better,  and  did  we  come  together  wi'  the  sim 
plicity,  and  guileless  heart  o'  my  wee  Davie,  I  think  the 
murderous  wark  o'  thae  dulefu'  times  wad  speedily  be 
brocht  to  an  end!" 

His  wife  came  hastily  up  as  he  uttered  these  words, 
and  laying  her  white  arm  round  her  soldier's  neck, — 
she  kissed  his  cheek,  with  fondness,  while  the  clear 
tear  drops  rolled  down  the  red  cloth  on  the  soldier's 
arm. 

"  I  knew  it,  my  Bauldy !  I  knew  it  weel.  And,  Oh  1 
it  needs  only  the  meetin'  o'  Scotchmen,  wi'  a  Scotchman ; 
and  the  opening  o'  a  Scotchman's  heart  to  the  sympathies 
o'  a  Scotchman's  heart,  to  put  an  end  effectually  to  this 
bludy  butcherin'  wark." 

"  Yes  !"  cried  the  soldier, — "  I  think  if  wee  Davie.  here, 
had  introduced  auld  Donald  Cargil  to  Claverse,  or  e'en  to 
Sharp  himsel'  wi'  this  simplicity,  and  innocence  o'  child 
hood,  he  might  move  baith  the  ane  and  the  ither. — But 
come,  venerable  man,  continued  the  soldier  to  Cargil, — > 
I  am  ane  under  authority,  and  no  my  ain  master."  He 
cast  an  expressive  glance  at  his  wife,  as  he  uttered  this, 
"And  at  this  instant,  ye  are  no  safe  under  this  roof," 
added  he, — my  comrades  wull  soon  be  here:  follow  ms." 

Cargil  hastily  wrote  a.  few  lines,  which  he  put  into  the 
hands  of  the  -soldier's    wifej  with  instructions  that  wee 
YOL.  i. — i. 


,  • 
122  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

Davie  should,  in  person,  present  them  to  Helen  Wardlaw, 

He  then  took  up  the  child  once  more,  in  his  arms,  and 
pronounced  a  solemn  benediction  on  him,  and  kissed  him. 
'•We  shall  hear  o'  thee,  some  day,  my  bonny  wee  sweet 
Davie.  May  the  benison  o'  the  Almichty  be  on  thee,  and 
on  thy  kind-hearted  mither,  and  thy  faither  !" 

The  bairne  wept,  and  sobbed  as  he  held  out  his  ruby  lips 
to  be  kissed  :  and  leaning  him  against  the  door-cheek,  his 
weeping  eyes  followed  Cargil,  and  his  father,  up  the  street 
Until  they  disappeared. 

The  soldier  led  Cargil  up  the  High-street :  and  thence  up 
the  hill  side  toward  the  ruins  of  the  bishop's  castle,  which, 
at  that  time,  extended  over  the  spot,  which  is  now  the  site 
of  the  Glasgow  hospital.  And  having  conducted  him  into 
the  midst  of  the  ruins,  he  shook  him  heartily  by  the  hand, 
and  instantly  disappeared. 

Father  Cargil  seated  himself  on  the  fragment  of  a  pillar, 
in  an  obscure  corner  of  the  ruins,  and  sunk  into  a  reverie. 
These  ruins  of  massy  columns,  and  architraves,  and  sculp 
tured  pediments   recalled  the  idea  of  the  former  grandeur 
of  the  men  of  olden  times.     He  thought  of  the  inmates  of 
this  episcopal  palace, — the    warlike   bishops  of  this  cas 
tellated  house.     He  thought  of  priests  who  had  here  mut 
tered  their  morning  prayers ;  and  their  orisons  at  toll  of 
the  curfew — -who  had  fasted  and  lacerated  their  flesh,  and 
counted  their  beads  before  men  ;  and  rioted  in  intemperance 
and  crimes,  when  no  mortal  eye  saw  them.     He  thought 
of  priests  converted,    here,   into  soldiers  and  led  by   the 
bishop,  mounted  the  bastions,  and  sounded  the  warder's 
bugle,  and  flung  the  lance,  and  handled  the  shield,  the  sons 
of  war  and  of  peace,  as  it  suited  the  taste  of  their  proud 
mitred  lord ;  who  mingled  in  politics,  and  mumbled  masses 
— who  dictated   to  the  willing  consciences  of  king  and 
nobles ;  who  granted  absolution  to  living  knaves ;  and  ex 
treme  unction,  and  a  passport  to  dying  sinners ;  who  reaped 
golden  harvests  from  masses  over  the  uncomplaining  dead ; 
and  drew  rich  bequests  from  the  dying  ruffian.     There 
passed  before  his  mind  the  image  of  bishops   who    had 
reigned  here;    Lauder,  and    Campbell,  and  Morton,  and 
Blackadder;  and  above  all,  arch-bishop  Beaton,  the  voice 
of  whose  revelry,  in  these  halls,  rivalled  that  of  any  Scottish 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.          123 

duke  or  lord,  when  with  the  neighbouring  chiefs  he  drank 
deep  potations. 

"There  was  mirth  in  the  hall; 
And  beards  wagged  all." 

But  the  Reformation  came.  The  voice  of  John  Knox 
was  heard:  and  the  voice  of  the  lords  of  the  congrega 
tion,  and  the  voice  of  the  Scottish  nobility.  It  came  upon 
arch-bishop  Beaton  like  a  thunderstorm  from  heaven.  It 
fell  on  his  strength,  his  glory,  and  his  profligacy.  He 
escaped  to  France  it  is  true.  But  he  had  the  character 
istic  wisdom  and  forecast  of  his  fellows.  He  fled  not — 
until  he  had  secured  the  rich  plunder  of  this  castle-palace, 
and  the  plunder  of  all  the  valuables  of  the  Cathedral  ad 
joining  this,  now  called  the  Heigh  Kirk.  "And  the  rooks 
hae  a  nest  here  nae  mair.  So  neither  hae  I,"  continued 
Cargil  gathering  up  his  grey  cloak  around  him — "  Neither 
hae  I,  intil  whase  weak  and  unworthy  hands,  for  ane,  the 
rod  o'  the  shepherd  o'  thae  same  sheep,  has  fa'en.  We 
drove  the  Romanists  frae  their  palaces.  The  Erastians 
and  Malignants,  in  their  turn,, hae  driven  us  frae  our  hum 
ble  sheelins  !  Beaton,  wha  had  studied  temporals,  wi'  nae 
sma'  attention, — trusting  naught  to  French  hospitality,  and 
conscious  that  e'en  the  Pope  wad  gie  him  mair  credit  for 
his  spiritual  disinterestedness,  in  proportion  as  he  had  ta'en 
the  means  to  place  himself  independent  o'  his  Holiness' 
bounty,  took  especial  care,  in  his  saving  knowledge,  to 
provide  himself  wi'  the  materials  o'  a  splendid  home.  I 
wha  aince  fed  the  saum  flock,  here,  hae  na,  this  night, 
whare  to  lay  my  head ; — savin'  it  be  amid  the  Prelate's 
fragments."  The  old  man  wrapt  his  cloak  closer  around  him 
and  laughed  aloud  at  the  idea/while  he  repeated  it — "  saving 
it  be  here  amid  the  'bishops'  fragments."  And  he  laid 
himself  down ;  and  stretched  out  his  limbs  on  the  ruins  of 
a  massy  pillar ; — arid  laid  his  head  on  the  chapiter  work, 
for  a  pillow;  with  perhaps,  as  much  real  enjoyment;  as 
the  ancient  bishop  had  stretched  himself  out,  probably,  in 
this  same  spot,  after  a  luxurious  banquet,  on  his  bed  of 
canach,  or  sea-fowl  down  ! 

"  No,  indeed!"  cried  Master  James,  coming  up  to  him 
with  some  concern,  "  E'en  this  is  denied  you — a' the  imps 
o*  hades  seem,  this  day,  to  hae  broken  loose.  And  the 


124  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  '. 

bishop's  ghaist  frowns  on  ye,  father,  for  this  liberty  ye  hae 
ta'en  wi'  his  fragments  !  Arise ;  some  persons  approach, 
not  soldiers,  but  strangers  they  seem,  who  wish  to  look, 
also,  at  thae  monuments  o'  sacerdotal  pride,  and  sacerdotal 
downfa !" 

"  I  bethink  me,  noo,  Master  James,"  said  Cargil  raising 
himself  up,  with  great  indifference,  and  a  singular  elasti 
city  of  spirits,  so  common  to  the  sufferers,  as  dangers 
thickened  around  them ;  "  I  bethink  me  ; — in  that  humble 
street  o'  thatched  houses,  near  bye,  dwells  my  auld  Bedrel, 
wha  has  served  me  faithfully  for  mony  a  year  bygane. 
This  way  James  !  Let  us  descend  through  this  shafted  win 
dow.  Let  us,  soldier  like,  retire  so  as  to  hae  the  auld  ruins 
o'  this  sacerdotal  bigging,  to  cover  oor  retreat.  This  way, 
Master  James ! — You  are  as  thin  as  I  am.  Thanks  to 
our  moderate  larder.  Had  I  been  an  English  bishop 
noo,  to  whom  a  huge  corporation  seems  as  essential  as 
canonicals,  I  could  na  hae  effected  my  escape  by  any  means. 
I  must  hae  been  grupped  by  the  foemen.  What  a  beauti 
ful  and  appropriate  fitness  there  is  in  things  !  There  noo  ! 
how  easily  oor  slim  bodies  slip  through  the  shafts  o'  the 
ruined  window !" 

They  were  soon  at  the  fire-side  of  the  Bedrel  of  the 
Barony  Kirk,  and  their  welcome  wras  a  substantial  one. 
The  old  man,  without  one  unnecessary  question,  or  unbe 
fitting  remark,  rose  up  from  his  humble  table  ;  led  Cargil 
and  Master  James  into  the  spense, — presumed  that  this 
maun  be  his  young  frien  seeing  that  he  had  brocht  him 
alang  wi'  him :  told  him  that  he  had  heard,  this  day,  unco 
meikle  aboot  his  dear  Minister,  that  had  alarmed  him 
right  sairly.  "  Noo,"  continued  he,  "  ye  canna  lodge  here, 
nor  rest  e'en  ae  hoor !  The  enemy  hae  been  here 
this  very  day,  mair  than  aince,  and  well  I  jaloose,  they'll 
be  here  again,  ere  long.  I  do  believe,  father,  they  hae,  at 
last,  found  oot  ilka  ane  o'  yer  lurking  places  in  the  haille 
city  and  parish.  For  the  three  thoosan'  siller  marks,  set 
On  yer  dear  auld  grey  head,  hae  sent  oot  mony  a  pack  o* 
bludy  villains  after  ye  :  God  help  ye  !  Noo,  dinna  say  ae 
word.  Come  ben  and  tak  each  o'  ye  a  retreating  mess,, 
and  then  run.  Noo,  Lucky !  "  continued  the  Bedrel,  turn 
ing  his  eyes  on  his  kind  help-mate,  who  was  wiping  away  a 
tear  with  the  corner  of  her  white  apron,  while  she  held  die 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  125 

hand  of  her  minister  with  the  other,  "  bring  ben  the  meikle 
pot  o'  barley  kail,  and  the  residue  o'  the  haggis,  and  the 
kebbuck, — I'm  grieved  that  we  hae  nae  yitt  meal  cakes, — - 
the  grand  staff  o'  Scotland's  life.  But  we  hae  a  gude  sub 
stitute  :  we  hae  plenty  o7  mashlum  bannocks,  and  scadded 
scones.  And  thir  kittle  times  afford  us  nae  time  to  think 
o'  a  nice  and  delicate  gab  !" 

By  this  time  they  were  seated,  and  father  Cargil  lifted 
his  hands  and  pronounced  a  brief  benediction  over  "the 
gude  viands  so  unexpectedly  provided  by  the  kind  hand  o1 
Providence ; — and  noo !  O  gude  Lord,"  continued  he, 
thou  art  ay  mindfu'  o'  thy  p'uir  wanderin'  servants :  we 
hae  ne'er  wanted  for  ocht.  Bless  thae  crater  comforts; 
and  endue  us  wi'  thy  heavenly  grace :  and  let  our  souls 
be  nourished  to  the  day  o'  rest  and  glory.  And  the  mair 
especially  as  thy  puir  auld  servant  knaws  not  whaur  he 
may  eat  his  neist  meal ;  nor  how  sune  he  may  be  called 
to  glorify  thee  in  the  last  extremity  o'  his  sufferings." 

"  I  hae  nae  claret,  to  wash  down  the  viands,"  cried  the 
Bedrel,  as  he  bustled  about  to  serve  them.  "But  I  hae 
the  best  o'  gude  yill,"  continued  he,  as  from  the  large  pew 
ter  pint  stoup  he  filled  the  two  clean  little  bickers  brim 
ming  full,  and  drank  to  their  health,  and  craved  Heaven's 
benison  on  them. 

As  he  hurried  them  through  their  frugal  meal,  and  fre 
quently  went  to  the  door  to  reconnoitre,  the  anxious  Be 
drel  discovered,  or  conceived  that  he  had  discovered,  a 
straggling  party  advancing  towards  his  humble  dwelling. 
Without  ceremony  he  hastened  Cargil  and  Master  James, 
out  of  the  back  door,  and  over  the  garden  wall  into  the 
next  lane.  "  Noo,  ye'll  gang  doon  intil  the  howe  o'  the 
Burn,  and  then,  father,  ye'll  tak  upwards,  and  find  yer 
way  intil  the  Kirk  yard.  The  sun  is,  by  my  reckonin', 
twa  hoors  heigh  yet :  I'll  tak  my  canny  way  to  be  wi'  ye : 
and  I  sail  meet  ye  in  the  Kirk  yard  wi'  the  keys,  and  in 
troduce  ye  intil  yer  retreat.  God  bless  ye  baith, — haud 
that  way,  and  hasten  on.:)  As  he  uttered  this,  he  directed 
them  down  to  the  hollow,  on  the  east,  and  then  left  them 
to  shift  for  themselves. 

Cargil  led  James  down  the  lane  into  the  channel  of  the 
Molindinar  Burn ;  and  they  pushed  their  retreat  up  the 
bank  of  that  small  stream,  which,  at  that  time,  had  no  mill 
dam.  L* 


126  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLANr/r 

They  gained  the  east  wall  of  the  Kirk-yafd ;  and  push 
ed  onward,  until  they  reached  the  north-east  corner  of  this 
vas*  repository  of  the  dead ;  and,  then,  with  little  difficulty, 
they  found  their  way  into  the  interior  of  the  yard. 

This  was  a  new  scene  to  Master  James.  It  was  a  clear 
afternoon  of  February;  and  the  sun  shone  bright.  His 
slanting  beams  fell  on  the  Kirk  yard,  which  was  covered, 
as  it  would  seem,  at  the  first  glance,  with  monumental  flat 
stones,  and  ten  thousand  memorials  of  the  dead.  He  rais 
ed  his  eye  to  the  west,  and  to  the  south,  and  to  the  north, 
and  there  was  one  uninterrupted  display  of  these  mourn 
ful  mementos  of  the  dead.  Over  the  vast  field,  of  several 
acres,  there  appeared  scarcely  one  solitary  inch  which  was 
not  covered  by  some  melancholy  memento.  Men,  and 
women,  and  bairns, — a  little  world  below !  Here  are  the 
families,  and  the  neighbourhood  of  fathers  and  mothers, 
and  blooming  young  men  and  young  women  the  genera 
tions  of  eight  centuries  or  more  !  Each  individual  histo 
ry  may  be  big  with  affecting  and  momentous  incidents. 

"  When  I  enter  this  ground,  Master  James,"  said  the 
old  Pastor,  "  I  feel  as  if  I  entered  with  all  my  insignifi 
cance,  into  a  vast  assembly  of  our  forebears,  who  need 
only  the  awakening,  from  the  Omnipotent  Power,  to  be 
roused  up  again  into  the  activities  of  life.  And,  verily, 
were  the  morning  of  the  great  day  come,  and  were  you 
and  I  here  at  the  rising,  we  should  sink  into  insignifi 
cance,  and  feel  lost  amid  the  countless  throng Now," 

continued  he,  as  he  was  advancing  toward  the  centre  of 
that  vast  repository  of  the  dead,  "  here  remain  we,  till  oor 
frien  the  Bedrel,  come  at  his  ain  canny  leisure  wi'  the 
keys."  And  he  wandered  from  stone  to  stone,  and  was 
soon  Avrapt  up  in  profound  thought,  reading  the  memori 
als  of  the  dead  and  listening,  as  it  were,  respectfully  to  the 
idle  pleadings  and  calls,  to  the  heedless  passenger,  in 
homely  prose  and  verse, — "  Halt,  passenger,  a  word  wi' 
thee  or  twa."  "  Here  lies  the  blooming  youth."  But  he 
was  particularly  struck  with  the  following,  over  the  grave 
of  a  young  maiden. 

"  Here  lyeth  bonnie  Bessie  Bell, 
In  lovely  seventeen,  wha  fell 
In  cauld  death. 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STTTARTS.  127 

The  bonniest  maiden  o'  ye  a', 
Lik  my  sweet  Bessie,  sune  maun  fa, 
In  cauld  death !" <>.   ^ 

"  And  she  was  a  bonnie  ane,".said  Cargil,  "  and  a  gude 
ane.  I  kenned  her  weel.  And  here  lyeth  the  Laird  Je 
hu,  o'  Tumblecrane,  wha  died  by  a  fa'  frae  his  gallant  grey. 
What's  this  we  hae  got  here  ? 

"  Atween  the  saddle  and  the  grund. 
I  mercy  asked,  and  mercy  fund." 

"  It  might  hae  happened,  that  saum  thing,"  ejaculated 
Cargil,  "  For  His  grace  has  the  speed,  as  weel  as  the 
might  o'  His  ain  lightning.  But,  I  wadna  gie  a  groset  for 
the  wild  Laird  chance." 

The  kind-hearted  Pastor  next  came  upon  a  cluster  of  his 
parishioners  and  intimate  friends.  He  read  their  epitaphs 
again  and  again — and  called  their  names  in  a  soft  whis 
per — and  as  the  image  of  their  living  persons,  and  the  inci 
dents  in  their  lives  rose  upon  his  busy  memory, — he  leaned 
on  this  staff,  and  yielded  himself  up  to  a  flood  of  sorrow ! 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

"If  thou  wouldst  view  fair  Melrose  aright, 
Go  visit  it  by  the  pale  moon  light ; 
When  the  broken  arches  are  black  in  night, 
And  each  shafted  oriel  glimmers  white ;" 

Sm  WALTER  SCOTT. 

Master  James,  meantime,  had  placed  himself  opposite 
the  middle  tower  of  the  Heigh  Kirk,  and  stood  wrapt  up  in 
wonder  and  delight,  as  his  eyes  wandered  over  the  vene 
rable  and  magnificent  pile.  He  had  not,  hitherto,  had  an 
opportunity  of  examining  it.  And  he  yielded  himself  up 
to  his  youthful  enthusiasm. — By  an  instinct  natural  to  a 
delicate,  and  a  cultivated  mind,  when  an  object  grand  and 
sublime  is  presented  to  it,  he  raised  his  hands  in  silence, — 
and  remained  fixed,  and  immoveable  in  the  place  which  he 


128  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

had  first  occupied.  An  exclamation  of  amazement  and 
delight,  uttered  after  a  long  silence,  brought  Cargil  to  his 
side. 

"  Yes,  Master  James,  ye  may  weel  admire !  It's  a  mag 
nificent  buildin',  and  a  venerable.  There's  nocht  to  match 
it  about  a'  Embro.  It's  the  only  entire  Gothic  biggin  noo 
standin'  on  the  continent  o'  Scotlan'.  There's  just  ane 
ither  sic  like,  somewhere  in  the  isles  o'  Scotland. — As  Ho 
mer  delights  to  linger  ower  the  persons  and  deeds  o'  olden 
times ;  and  then  sings  ye  how  weak  and  puny  the  best  o' 
modern  persons  and  men  are,  compared  wi'  them  o'  aun- 
cient  days,  whase  bodies  were  sae  huge ;  and  their  souls 
sae  magnanimous ;  e'en  sae,  my  braw  callant,  are  the  men, 
and  the  ecclesiastical  biggins  o'  modern  times,  to  the  men 
and  the  biggins  o'  KING  DAVID  o'  Scotland's  times.  There 
stauns  afore  yer  eyes,  the  Cathedral ;  whilk  was  built  by 
the  munificence  o'  KING  DAVID,  under  the  canny  care  o1 

bishop  John  Achaius:  and  whilk  was  dedicated a  piece 

o'  haveril  nonsense !  to  St.  Kentigern,  whilk  is  to  say 
St.  Mungo.  I'm  no  going  to  justify  the  extortions  o'  the 
Romanists,  wha  made  the  people  worship  them  to  sic  an 
extent,  that  they  suffered  the  priests  to  pick  oot  their  gowd 
and  siller  frae  their  purses,  and  their  very  een  oot  o'  their 
heads,  to  get  wherewith  to  mak  magnificent  displays.  It's 
nae  maxim  o'  mine  that  the  gude  end  sanctifieth  the  means 
to  compass  it.  But  had  the  Pope  and  his  shavelins  laid 
oot  their  ill-gotten  gear  at  a'  times,  on  sic  biggins  as  that 
ilk  afore  us :  and  not  upon  their  wicked  lusts,  and  revelry, 
their  extortions  wad  hae  been  o'  less  damnatory  a  kind. 
But  the  meikle  endo'  the  proceeds  o'  their  spiritual  rapine, 
and  plunder  o'  the  nations,  was  laid  oot  in  sumptuous  ban 
quets  ;  and  the  loons  the  while  were  at  great  pains,  wi'  their 
hair  claith,  and  obstinate  fastings  to  mak  their  gomeril  pa 
rishioners  believe  that  thae  round  faced,  rosy  cheeked,  braid 
shouldered  priests  lived  on  dry  pease  and  collar  water  ! 

"And,  James,  let  me  whisper  ye  a  truth.  I  wish  weel 
that  oor  godly  Reformers  had  possessed  a  wee  bit  o'  the 
Papist's  warmly  policy.  They  micht  hae  herried  the 
rook's  nest,  and  dressed  it  up  their  ain  gate,  and  no  hae 
brunt  it,  stump  and  rump.  Had  they  appropriated  the 
rook's  nest  to  their  ain  purpose,  whilk  een  the  gowk  kens 
to  du,  in  regard  to  the  aest  o'  anither, — hoo  commodious 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  129 

and  befittin',  had  been  oor  kirks  this  day!  Instead  o'  that, 
we  see  miserable  biggins,  mere  kennels,  theeket  wi'  straw 
or  rushes,  or  heather,  or  e'en  green  divets,  in  deevers  cor 
ners  o'  the  laun.  Och !  puir  kirk  o'  Scotland !  In  the 
struggle  o'  the  Reformation,  the  nobles  in  their  excessive 
zeal  lest  she  might  be  corrupted  by  riches,  carried  off  her 
revenues.  "  Nocht "  cried  they  could  be  mair  dangerous 
to  the  kirk  than  makin  her  ower  rich,  therefore  they  re 
duced  her  to  poortith :  nocht  can  be  mair  unsafe  in  a  health- 
fu'  body  than  getting  ower  fat,  therefore  they  starved  her 
to  skin  and  bone,  on  bread  and  water  !  And  their  argu 
ments  were  in  their  own  view  absolutely  irresistible, — 
for  they,  in  power,  were  to  share  in  what  the  kirk  did 
na  need! 

"  Then  cam  there  anither  toozlin',  to  her,  frae  her  ain 
best  and  fastest  friens,  the  haly  Reformers.  Instead  o' 
cleansinsr  the  h doses  o'  Papish  filth,  and  their  altars,  and 
crosses,  and  bits  o'  stane  and  timmer  idols,  they  set  the 
stately  biggins  a'  in  a  bleeze  ! 

"And,  noo,  we're  biding  a  waur  toozle  than  a',  in  thae 
mournfu'  days.  The  loss  o'  oor  livings  and  oor  biggins, 
whilk  we  may  as  weel  hae  had  as  no, — we  can  endure. 
But  the  arch  foe,  the  auld  evil  ane  'has  come  doon  in 
great  wrath,'  and  set  up  his  power  in  the  land.  He  has 
shot  oot  his  left  cloven  foot,  and  has  given  the  ministry  a 
kick,  maist  distressin' ;  and  he  is  defacing  the  carved  wark 
o'  the  sanctuary.  Alack !  puir  kirk  o'  Scotland !  But 
it's  a'  come  in  Scottish  style,  Scotchman  like,  wha's  ay 
wise  behind  the  haun !  They  pulled  doon  the  magnifi 
cent  wark  o'  Gothic  structure,  as  if  the  faults  aud  errors 
o'  the  Roman  beastie  had  been  mixed  up  wi'  the  stanes  and 
materials  o'  the  very  biggins  ! 

"  I  revere  the  memory  o'  thae  tradesmen,  wha  wi'  the 
maist  worthy  Dean  o'  Guild,  Master  James  Rabart,  at  the 
head  o'  them,  drew  up  their  hale  strength,  when  the  barmy 
headed  zealots  frae  Glasgow,  and  the  neebour  paroches, 
poured  in  their  strength,  wi'  their  sledge  hammers,  and 
massy  raipes,  to  whammle  this  stately  edifice  afore  ye. 

"  They  took  a  graite  aith,  that,  if  ony  o'  thae  toon  or 
kintry  bodies  wad  daur  to  lay  their  rascallion,  and  heaven 
daurin'  hauns  on  ae  single  arch,  or  pillar,  they  wad  plaist- 
er  the  cauld  grave-stanes  wi'  their  streamin'  blude,  and 


130  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

reekin'  hairns !  And  there  it  stauns,  Master  James !  a 
prood  memorial  o'  olden  times  :  and  o'  the  gude  sense  and 
piety  o'  the  tradesmen  o'  Glasgow  !" 

As  the  Bedral  had  not  yet  made  his  appearance,  he 
proceeded  to  point  out,  in  a  reply  to  a  question  from  Mas 
ter  James,  the  structure,  the  strength,  and  grandeur  of  this 
noble  Gothic  building. 

"  You  see,  there,  in  that  vast  pile,  a  truly  chaste  eccle 
siastical  edifice  of  the  early  pairt  o'  the  twelfth  century.* 
It  is  supported  by  ane  hundred  and  forty-seven  pillars ; 
and  it  is  lighted  by  ane  hundred  and  fifty-seven  windows  o' 
nae  sma'  dimensions.  Ye  see  the  succession  o'  the  lancet, 
or  sharp-arched  windows  of  equal  dimension.  But,  then, 
turn  yer  eyes,  Master  James,  on  those  in  the  south  transept, 
directly  under  the  great  tower,  whare  the  usual  order  of 
the  lancet  windows,  on  the  right  and  left,  is  interrupted. 
These  windows,  in  the  transept,  under  the  great  tower,  are 
forty  feet  high,  and  twenty  wide.  And  the  slender  shafts, 
themullions,  and  the  tracery  wark,  on  the  top  o'  the  shafts, 
and  immediately  under  the  lancet  arches,  are  a'  stane,  maist 
exquisitely  shaped,  and  chiselled. 

"And  ye  see,  there,  the  ootor  wa'  is  divided.  Aboonthe 
first  tier  o'  windows,  the  outer  wall  terminates  in  a  battle 
ment.  And  frae  this  part,  in  the  interior,  springs  the  arch 
o'  the  lower,  or  first  roof.  This  arch  extends  entirely 
across  the  body  of  the  building,  and  is  supported  by  massy 
pillars,  and  groined  arches  o'  singular  and  exquisite  work 
manship.  And  a'  thae  arches  and  pillars,  frae  side  to 
side,  are  o'  solid  hewn  stane ;  there's  no  ae  inch  o'  timber 
about  it. 

"  Weel,  frae  the  first  battlement,  the  wall,  now  by  some  feet 
thinner  than  at  the  base,  proceeds  in  a  perpendicular  line, 
till  it  reach  the  second  row  o'  battlements,  aboon  the  last 
tier  o'  lancet  arched  windows.  From  the ,  interior  wall 
opposite  the  second  battlements,  spring  the  arches,  frae  side 
to  side,  which  sustain  the  outer  roof;  in  whilk,  as  I  said 
there  is  no  timmer,  a'  is  o'  solid  hewn  stone.  And  the 
haille  o'  the  arched  roof  is  covered  wi'  massy  plates  o' 
lead ;  without  ae  leakin'  or  decayed  spot  in  it.  And  touch- 
in'  the  drappin  aisle,  ye'll  see  it,  Master  James,  on  the 

*  It  was  founded  in  A.D.  1123, 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  131 

North  side  o'  the  biggin,  as  ye  look  into  the  gloomy 
donjon-like  cell,  near  the  basement.  Noo  that  perpetual 
dropping  o'  chrystal  drops  is  not  owin'  to  ony  leak  or  de 
fect  in  the  roof,  but  the  caller  water  frae  the  massy  wa'  is 
attracted,  and  oozes  frae  them,  drop  by  drop;  as  frae  a 
huge  rock  on  the  eastern  cliffs  o'  Loudon  Hill,  or  the  lofty 
Tintoc. 

"  Mairover,  in  the  centre  o'  the  transept,  or  where  that 
pairt  o'  the  cross,  runnin'  frae  North  to  Sooth,  passes 
across  the  Choir  and  Nave,  which  extend  frae  East  to 
West,  there  rises  the  grand  tower.  Its  base  rests  on  four 
massy  pillars,  ilka  ane  o'  them  being  thirty  feet  in  circum 
ference,  and  they  stand  in  the  centre  o'  the  transept.  The 
said  tower  is  carried  up  thirty  feet  aboon  the  leaden  roof 
o'  the  biggin.  And  frae  this  tower,  with  its  arcades,  on 
ilka  side ;  and  pinnacles  at  it's  corners — there  rises  the 
lofty  spire,  which  is  of  an  octagpnal  shape ;  and  tapers  to 
a  point ;  and  is  surmounted  by  a  ball  and  vane.  From 
the  base  to  the  top,  its  entire  height  is  232  feet.  And  it's 
no  made  o'  timmer  lik  many  ither  painted  fairlies.  It  is 
solid  mason-work  chisseled  to  the  top.  Then  turn  yer  eye 
to  the  West  end,  there  is  the  second  tower,  whilk  rises  to 
the  level  o'  the  pinnacled  battlement  o'  the  ither  tower.  But 
it  has  nae  spire.  It  ends  in  a  pyramid  roof  o'  lead.  The 
groined  arches  whilk  sustain  the  floor  o'  this  tower  ;  and 
also  the  hanging  stairs  leading  up  to  the  centre  of  it,  and 
to  the  great  bell,  are  curiosities  worthy  the  attention  o'  a 
connoisseur  in  architecture.  The  haile  biggin  is  330  feet 
in  length,  by  70  in  breadth. 

"  In  times  o'  Papistrie  this  magnificent  edifice  was  divided 
into  the  choir,  the  nave,  and  the  cemetry.  But  in  better 
times,  after  the  purifying  o'  the  "Rook's  nest,"  it  was  di 
vided,  by  oor  canny  and  economical  forebears,  into  three 
spacious  apartments;  each  o'  whilk  was  converted  into  a 
commodious  church.  The  Choir  on  the  West  end,  is 
the  outer  heigh  kirk:  the  nave  on  the  East  o'  the  great 
tower  is  the  inner  heigh  kirk :  and  the  cemetry,  whilk  is 
under  the  nave,  is  the  barony,  or  Landward  Kirk,  whaur 
for  many  a  year  I  spent  the  sweetest  sabbaths  o'  my  life, 
amang  my  dutiful  and  affectionate  flock — Alas !  mine 
nae  mair  1" 

In  answer  to  a  question  from   James,  he  continued, 


132  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

"  In  ae  word,  the  North  end  of  the  transept,  or  cross,  is 
noo  appropriated  to  private  lairs  of  the  dead:  and  its 
upper  chambers  are  public  ha's  for  business.  The  South 
transept,  whilk,  for  reasons  that  I  hae  na  been  able  to 
discover,  has  been  carried  nae  higher  than  the  first  tier  o1 
arches, — is  noo  made  the  depository  o'  the  earthly  remains 
o'  the  ministers  o'  the  city  of  Glasgow." 

Master  James  stood  in  silent  contemplation:  and  his 
mind  was  bewildered  and  lost  in  a  pleasant  maze  of  admi 
ration  and  wonder ;  as  his  eyes  wandered  over  the  lancet 
arches,  and  shafted  windows,  and  their  mullions,  and 
transoms,  and  tracery  work;  and  the  arcades  and  pinnacles 
of  the  grand  Tower:  and  the  niches;  and  the  massy 
buttresses,  and  embrazures,  and  perforations, — the  battle 
ments,  and  tiers  of  pinnacles,  on  the  lofty  spire,  the  ball,  and 
vane  floating  far  in  air,  in  the  blue  dazzling  sky. — And 
the  thought  of  the  pastaru3hed  on  his  mind , — the  men  of 
other  times,  their  taste,  meir  bold  conceptions,  and  plans — 
their  daring,  and  persevering  enterprises: — their  proud 
monuments  of  art  and  science. 

While  Master  James  was  yielding  himself  up  to  this 
pleasing  reverie,  Cargil  had  wandered  up  to  the  Western 
Wall  of  the  kirk  yard.  He  had  come  up  to  two  fresh 
graves,  with  their  brighter  stones,  and  new  epitaphs. 

"  Hie  jacet  quicquid  mortale  fuit." He  read  on,  and 

uttered  a  deep  groan  as  he  read  the  names  of  two  of  his 
beloved  lambs — two  young  men — brothers  whom  his 
hands  had  sprinkled  with  the  holy  water  of  baptism ;  and 
who  had  grown  up  under  his  eye,  from  sabbath  to  sabbath. 
They  had  both  perished,  in  the  bloom  of  manhood,  by  the 
cruel  steel  of  the  ruffian  soldiery,  against  whom  they  had 
been  defending  the  grey  hairs  of  a  father,  and  the  honour 
of  their  only  sister — a  beautiful  young  maiden  of  the 
Barony  Parish. 

"  So  then  its  ower  true ; — the  bruit  whilk  I  heard, 
anent  you,  when  far  awa,  was  ower  true. — Ye  sleep  in 
peace,  my  ain  sweet  bairns !  yer  father  too, — there  lie  his 
mortal  remains.  He  survived  the  shock,  some  short  week 
or  two :  and  the  beautiful  and  innocent  lamb, — yer  sister, 
Mary  Kennedy, — is  a  maniac  wanderer,  far  frae  her 
hame !  Perhaps,  ere  this,  she  also,  sleeps  in  death. 
Sweetly  ye  a'  sleep;  and  puir  auld  Donald  Cargil,  yer 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.          133 

once  loved  Pastor,  is  still  a  weary  wanderer,  and  the  blast 
is  sweeping  ower  the  plain :  I  hear  its  wild  sooch.  It 
tells  me  that  nicht  is  settin'  in,  the  lang  nicht  when  I  sail 
lay  my  auld  grey  hairs  doon,  and  sleep  in  dust.  Oh !  in 
yonder  world,  in  yonder  bright  flood  o'  light,  on  the  moun 
tain  o'  glory,  I  shall  bask  me  in  the  beams  o'  HIS  counte 
nance, — \vhare  nae  foemen  come, — and  nae  murderous  steel 
can  reach ! 

"  Ye  maun  come  yer  ways  noo,  faither  Cargil," — whis 
pered  the  Bedrel,  Avho  had  come  close  up  to  him : — "  No 
ane  o'  thae  raging  creaturs  has  heard  a  sooch  o'  ye :  nor 
has  ane  o'  them  an  inkling  o'  this  awsome  place  o'  conceal 
ment  :  sae,  arise,  and  tak  possession." 

He  led  the  way,  bearing  the  keys  in  the  one  hand,  and 
in  the  other  some  substantial  proofs  of  his  '  gude  auld 
lucky 's,'  remembrance  of  the  bodily  wants  of  her  good 
pastor. 

The  massy  door  being  thrown  open,  they  found  them 
selves  among  the  long  slender  Gothic  pillars ;  and  under 
the  groined  arches,  which  towered  high  above  their  heads; 
"and  which,"  as  Master  James  remarked,  'seem  to  hae 
been  suggested  to  the  mind  o'  the  architect,  by  the  arches 
formed  by  the  green  boughs  thrown  over  a  pathway  through 
the  stately  forest." 

Cargil  led  the  youth  to  the  spacious  door  of  the  outer 
kirk, — "  look  thou  West," — said  he, — "  into  that  venerable 
place !" 

James  cast  his  eyes  over  the  magnificent  scene.  The 
sun,  now  near  his  setting,  was  pouring,  from  his  broad 
disk,  his  yellow  wintry  rays,  through  the  lofty  Gothic 
windows :  and  they  fell  on  the  massy  pillars,  and  arches, 
and  the  groined  cieling,  with  its  ribs,  and  tracery  work  : 
and  they  sent  on  his  eyes,  and  into  his  soul,  a  picture  which 
no  human  language  can  paint. — 

"  Magnificent  scene !  "  exclaimed  he, — "  what  a  befitting 
place  to  worship  the  Almighty, — the  founder  and  architect 
of  the  great  world!" 

•'  Yes  !"  cried  Cargil, — "  and  here  many  a  solemn 
prayer  has  ascended  from  the  humble  and  broken  heart,  to  the 
High  and  Holy  Ane,  who  sits  on  the  throne  o'  eternity !  and, 
here,  many  a  song  o'  praise  has  rung  along  that  lofty  vaulted 
ceiling,  and  died  away  in  reverberating  echoes,  amang  thae 

VOL.  I. — M. 


134  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

:  pillars  and  arches,  while  the  spirits  o'  the  men  wha  breath 
ed  them,  rose  in  haly  aspirations  to  the  throne  o'  the 
Eternal ! — Hoo  mainy  o'  my  sainted  faithers  and  brithren 
hae,  in  that  venerable  place,  won  souls  frae  the  errors  o' 
their  ways,  to  the  Father  o'  Mercies,  through  Him  wha 
hung  on  the  cross  for  us ! — In  that  hallowed  spot  did  my 
youthfu'  frien',  and  maist  beloved  brither  in  Christ,  sound 
the  sweetest  and  most  melting  tones; — It  was  there  the 
maist  haly  and  humble  o'  ministers  poured  the  enchant 
ment  o'  his  message,  in  rapturous  eloquence,  ower  the 
chained  spirits  o'  his  audience !  yes,  there  ANDREW  GREY 
prayed,  and  preached,  and  wept.  Beloved  friend  o1  my 
youth,  dear  in  the  unfading  remembrance  o'  my  heart, — 
thoo  didst  pass  away  frae  oor  weeping  eyes,  and  sink  into 
the  grave, — ripe  in  thy  glory, — in  thy  twenty-second 
year! 

"  And  here,  in  like  manner," — continued  Cargil,  weep 
ing  all  the  while,  as  he  led  his  young  associate  with  a 
hurried  pace,  to  the  steps  leading  to  the  screen  of  the  Nave, 
and  the  eastern  place  of  worship,  into  which  the  en 
trance,  at  that  time,  led  by  small  side  doors, — "  Here  it 
was,  in  this  magnificent  place  o'  worship,  that  the  quondam 
laird  o'  East  Powrie,  whase  noble  dignity  o'  soul  trampled 
on  riches  and  earthly  honours, — did  serve  his  Master  faith 
fully  in  the  gospel.  A  man  he  was  o'  singular  attainments, 
and  undaunted  courage.  He  preached  Christ  Jesus,  and  him 
crucified,  in  the  court  o'  king  Charles  I.,  and  in  this  spot  to  a 
high  born  and  splendid  audience ;  withoot  fear,  and  without 
flattery !  Here  did  the  immortal  JAMES  DUR  HAM  pour  his  mild 
and  impressive  eloquence ;  and  the  heart-melting  pathos  of  his 
heavenly  prayers  !  My  father !  my  father,  the  chariots  o' 
Israel,  and  the  horsemen  thereof, — I  see  thee  nae  mair! 
Nor  thee,  much  loved  Ramsay,  nor  your  companions,  and 
forebears,  thae  men  o'  God  who,  fulfilled  their  ministry 
according  to  the  wull  o'  God,  syn  the  times  o'  the  Refor 
mation.  I  am,  lingering  here,  the  last  of  my  race! — This 
way,  come  this  gaite,  Master  James," — he  continued,  after 
a  pause,  and  taking  him  by  the  arm,  "  descend  we,  by  thae 
steps,  doon  this  way  among  thae  arches.  Noo,  here  it  was 
that  godly  ZACHARIAS  BOYD  held  forth  his  namely  spoken 
message, — and  quoted  occasionally  the  interminable  length 
o*  ius  ain  poetic  lines ;  and  his  ill  timed  mints  at  holy- 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.          135 

jokes,  wi'  the  best  o'  intentions  in  the  world,  I  freely  admit, 
but  wi'  mistaken  views  o'  the  best  way  o'  spreading  the 
knowledge  o'  God's  word  amang  plain  people.  He  could 
na  be  persuaded  that  it  was  mair  befittin'  to  elevate  the 
people  to  the  dignity  o'  truth,  than  to  degrade  her  to  their 
grovelling  minds  :  to  purify  and  raise  them  to  the  dignity 
of  communion  with  her  in  her  ain  palace ;  than  to  throw 
tattered  garments  ower  her,  and  send  her  to  their  hovels ! — 
Weel !  here  it  was  that  honest  Zacharias  ministered.  Him 
it  was  my  lot  to  succeed.  This  is  the  Barony,  or  Landward 
Kirk.  It  is  as  capacious,  you  see,  as  the  place  abune  it ; 
and  its  ceiling,  o'  hewn  stane,  is  sustained  by  sixty-five 
massive  columns,  whose  chapters  and  groined  arches  are 
finished  wi'  exquisite  handicraft.  Ye  see  the  thriftiness  of 
the  Reformation.  Here  the  Romanists  interred  their 
princely  and  sacerdotal  dead.  But  we  hae  converted  it 
into  a  Kirk,  for  the  spiritual  furtherance  o'  the  living.* 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Wit.  "  Black  spirits,  and  white :  red  spirits,  and  grey : 
Mingle,  mingle,  mingle,  you  that  mingle  may.— 

Macb.  How  now,  ye  secret,  black,  and  midnight  hags, 
What  is't  you  do?" — SHAKESPEARE. 

As  Cargil  conducted  Master  James,  and  the  Bedrel  up 
stairs,  and  towards  the  grand  southern  entrance,  and  shook 
each  of  them  by  the  hand,  the  former  observed  that  noth 
ing  should  induce  him  to  leave  him,  in  that  place  un 
attended. — 

"  Ye  sail  gang  yer  ways,  Master  James," — said  Cargil, 
"  Nay  not  ae  word  o'  remonstrance  wull  I  listen  to.  Re 
turn,  incontinent,  to  yer  lodgings,  and  wi1  to-morrow's  sun 
hie  theeoffto  Embro  :  and  to  Perth's  mansion :  tak  ver  ain 
measures ;  keep  close :  be  faithfu'  to  yer  trust :  and  withoot 
failzie,  meet  us  at  Carlsness,  on  the  appointed  day.  In  the 

*  Of  late  this  place  has  been  restored  to  its  primitive  use, — the  re 
pository  of  the  dead  :  and  a  neat  and  substantial  edifice  has  been  reared 
for  the  Barony  Kirk,  hard  by. 


136  THE    WHIGS    OF    SCOTLAND: 

meantime,  I  shall  betake  mysel  to  Wallace's  Cave^  and  to 
my  trusty  men  o'  the  West,  and  Sooth.  The  services  o' 
auld  Donald  Cargil,  are,  for  the  present,  closed  here:  and 
aiblins  they'll  no  be  withoot  their  fruits,  e'en  in  ceevils. 
We  hae  sent  ae  barbed  arrow  beneath  the  hawk's  wing !" 

Having  uttered  these  words  he  embraced  him  affection 
ately  in  his  arms,  and  kissed  him,  as  he  added  ; — 

"  Noo,  fare  thee  weel,  Master  James,  my  son :  the 
presence  o'  HIM  wha  dwelt  in  the  bush,  be  wi'  thy  spirit." 
And  wrapping  himself  up  in  his  long  grey  cloak,  he  de 
scended  into  the  aisle  of  the  Barony  Kirk. 

"  Hully,  faither  Cargil,  bide  a  wee  bit,"  cried  the  Bedrel, 
recollecting  himself,  and  bustling  down  after  him,  with  his 
commission  from  his  "  Auld  Luckie,"  as  he  called  his  wife, 
"  Here,  maist  worthy  pastor,  are  materials  o'  a  couch  on 
whilk  to  rest  yer  weary  banes."  And  he  trundled  the 
blankets  down  the  steps,  and  producing  a  green  wallet,  he 
went  on  with  emphatic  nodding  and  smiles :  here,  my  cer- 
tie!  are  plenty  o'  gude  veevers.  They're  baith  mae,  and 
unco  better  than  what  my  girnell  and  humble  aumbry  e'er 
afforded.  I'm  no  gaun  to  boast  whence  they  caum.  But, 
he's  a  canny  haun,  that  saum  auld  man,  the  favourite  flonkey 
o'  bonnie  Helen  Waidlaw,  the  Bailey's  dochter  that  is.  And 
here's  a  pint  stoup  o'  the  best  o'  claret."  And  the  old  Be 
drel  raised  it  up  and  clanked  the  lid  of  the  pewter  stoup  tri 
umphantly.  "  No  the  \>\\.pint  stoup  o'  the  Southrons,  wha, 
puir  ignorant  Craters !  are  content  to  tak  a  mutchkin  for  a 
pint.  Na  !  na !  look  ye  there,  it's  a  walley  Scotch  pint. 
Commend  me  to  the  honest  SCOTCH  for  gude  measure  I  An 
Englisher's  pint !  ha!  ha!  ha!  I  pity  the  scrimpit  cra 
ters.  "Noo,"  continued  the  Bedrel,  as  he  arranged  the  vi- 
vers  in  due  array,  and  placed  the  silver  flagon  by  the  gau- 
sy  pint  stoup,  "  ye' 11  no  affront  Helen,  by  refusin'  her  beni- 
son."  And  he  filled  up  a  bumper,  and  urged  it  on  Cargil. 
"  Ye  ken  weel,  reverend  faither,  that  e'en  the  prophets  o' 
the  Lord  slackened  their  drouth,  and  moistened  their  clay 
wi'  wine,  and  the  best  o't,  yespecially  when  they  waur  gaun 
to  seek  dealin's  wi'  invisibles,  and  haly  communications  frae 
heigh  Heaven.  They  had  the  mense  eneugh  thus  to  raise 
their  spirits  up  to  a  pitch  o'  dealin'  wi'  pure  spirits.  And,  weel 
I  wat,  my  maist  reverend  master,"  and  he  shrugged  up  his 
shoulders  and  looked  fearfully  around  him,  as  the  last  beam  of 


OR,   T    HE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  137 

the  setting  sun  was  spending  its  feeble  yellow  ray  on  the 
grey  arches  and  columns,  "this  is  the  very  place  for  sic 
gruesome  scenes,  and  sic  eldritch  voices,  and  sic  unyerdly 
converse.  It  is  the  very  mooth  o'  the  sepulchre,  whaur 
their  mools  are  crumblin.  I  hae,  my  ain  sel,  heard  eerie 
voices,  and  hollow  granes  issuing  frae  thae  dreary  dwallin's 
o'  the  dead !  But,  fare  ye  well,  yer  young  frien'  wull  be 
eeriesome  waitin'  up  by  there.  And  hear  ye,"  he  added, 
putting  his  head  down  and  calling  out,  "  My  gude  auld  min 
ister,  I  sail  be  in  this  spat  at  the  grey  mornin',  to  see  ye, 
as  the  king  o'  Babylon,  as  it  were,  cam  to  visit  Daniel, 
whilk  is  to  say,  to  see  gif  ye  binna  devoured  by  the  lion. 
I'm  no  gaun  to  say,  just  noo,  by  whilk  lion !" 

"Ah!  Bauldy,  Bauldy,"  cried  Cargil  smiling  at  him, 
"  ye1  re  the  same  daft  auld  man  ye  aye  waur,  I  see,  notwith- 
standin'  a'  my  cautions  and  admonitions.  Ye  leeve  ower 
near  the  Kirk  yard,  and  the  dead,  to  think  meikle  aboot 
deein'.  But,  Bauldy,  at  the  age  o'  sixty  and  aught — it's 
time  to  be  serious  !  Betake  thysel  to  thy  prayers,  I  charge 
thee,  and  remember  me  in  them;  as  a'  my  faithfu'  and  af 
fectionate  parishioners,  wull  du  this  nicht.  Gang  thy  ways, 
Bauldy,  and  learn  to  be  wise  and  serious." 

As  the  sound  of  this  admonition  fell  on  the  ear  of  the  Be* 
drel,  a  new  excitement  was  given  to  his  mind  for  a  moment. 
He  was  advancing  to  unlock  the  outer  door  ;  but  presently 
the  current  of  his  own  thoughts  returned,  and  he  renewed 
his  address  to  father  Cargil,  under  an  increasing  anxiety 
about  him,  from  the  agency  of  the  invisible  world.  He  re 
turned,  unconsciously,  to  the  door  of  the  Landward  Kirk, 
calling  out. 

"  Serious !  My  master,  said  ye  1  De  ye  suspect  my  seri 
ousness,  maist  reverend  faither?  Had  I  begun  to  daur  hea 
ven  by  ca'ing  in  question,  the  existence  o'  sprites,  witches, 
warlocks,  and  deels,  ye  micht  weel  hae  suspected  my  seri 
ousness.  But  when  I  speak  to  ye  in  the  pure  orthodoxy  o' 
Scotland's  brawest  days,  when  the  king  and  the  nobles,  the 
priest  and  the  people,  a'  believed  doucely  and  soberly  in 
thae  beings,  suspect  ye  my  soberness  ?  And  nane  o'  us  a' 
eer  heard  o'  any  exception ;  unless,  allenarly,  it  be  ae  kind 
o'  a  crater  cauld  a  Deyest.  That,  I  think  is  the  word,  for 
the  thing  itsel,  I  canna  describe  it  to  ye,  no  ha'ing  e'er  seen 
it.  But  ye' 11  remember  ye,  o-'  thae  wild  sweerin  blasphem- 

M* 


138  THE    WHIGS    OF    SCOTLAND: 

ing  deevils,  the  soldadoes  wha'  had  been  pushin'  their  for 
tune  abroad,  in  France,  and  the  Lowlands,  striving  to  mak 
a  leeving  by  cutting  ither  men's  thrapples  :  and  wha  cam  in 
amang  us  o'  late,  syn  the  troubles  began  in  Scotland,  thae 
craters  waur  ca'd  deyests.  They  waur  weel  named,  I  hae 
heard  my  betters  say,  frae  the  Scotch  word  daised,  whilk 
means,  to  be  doited,  bamboozled,  as  it  were,  oot  d1  a'  the 
wee  wits  they  e'er  had,  and  even  doon  atheists,  as  it  respects 
the  things  o'  God !" 

As  the  Bedrel  thus  ran  on,  Cargil  laughed ;  and  Master 
James  shouted,  "Bravo  !  Bauldy,  ower  meikle  learnin' 
maks  thee  mad  !"  The  persevering  Bauldy  went  on : — 

"  Noo,  it's  no  canny  to  tempt  Providence.  A  man  may 
throw  himsel  ower  the  auld  Brigg  intil  the  Clyde.  Wull 
his  calling  on  his  MAKER,  eer  keep  him  frae  falling  intil 
the  water  ?  Noo,  ye  ken  well  eneugh  what  tricks,  auld 
Nick  played  aff  on  Master  James  Durham,  when  the  ill 
faured  Icon  teuk  on  him  the  shape  and  appearance  o'  his 
betters,  and  weel  I  wat,  nae  waur  wad  serve  him  than  that 
o'  the  godly  personage  o'  Maister  Durham.  And  he  tried 
to  mak  the  godly  toon  o'  Glasgow  believe  that  the  minister 
was  in  communion  wi'  some  ill-faured  hizzies,  up  by  yon- 
ner,  amang  the  firs,  on  the  knoll  ayont  the  Molindinar 
Burn :  when  the  minister,  a'  this  time,  was  sick  and  in  his 
bed! 

Noo,  gude  my  Master,  ye're  rinnin',  wi'  baith  een  open, 
into  the  mooth  o'  the  serpent's  den.  I  redd  ye  tak  tent,  and 
come  oot,  and  gang  yer  wa's  some  ither  gate;  or  I'm  sure, 
that  in  the  morning,  as  in  the  case  o'  Doctor  Faust,  I'll  get 
nae  mair  o'  ye  left  than  the  skin,  hair,  and  banes  1" 

"  And  prithee,  wise  man  o'  auncient  lair,  what  micht  tak 
me  aff  at  that  gate  ?"  said  Cargil  with  affected  gravity. 

"  Why  some  ghaist,  or  some  deevil,"  said  the  Bedrel,  wi' 
awfu'  solemnity.  "  Hae  ye  no  seen  SATHAN'S  INVISIBLE 
WARLD  DISCOVERED?"  We  hae  a'  heard  o'  the  Border 
fairlies,  and  deevilrie.  But  oor  Glasgow  professor's  true 
and  veritable  narratives  o'  "  SATHAN'S  INVISIBLE  WARLD 
DISCOVERED,"  beats  them,  and  Michael  Scott's  douce  tra 
velling  Deevil,  a'  hollow !  Why,  Michael's  deevils  waur  na 
•fit  to  haud  the  candle  to  oor  professor's  rampagin  Galloway 
deevils!  They  waur  o'  a  different  species!" 

"  Bauldy,"  cried  Cargil,  "  wull  ye  no  hae  dune  with  this 


\  *  y 

OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.          139 

unedifyin',  and  bleatherin  nonsense?  As  it  respects  the 
moral  philosophy  professor's  beuk,*  whilk  ye  hae  named, 
I  houp  he'll  get  repentance  afore  he  dee,  if  he  be  yet  leevin', 
for  raikin'  up  sic  aff-gatherins  o'  the  infernals.  And  I  wush 
him  nae  waur  than  e'en  some  sanctified  skelpins  frae  some 
o'  his  ain  invisible  drummers,  to  chastise  his  misapplied 
talents,  for  a  brief  season.  But,  let  that  pass.  Hear  me, 
Bauldy,  and  if  ye  hae  grace,  fructify  under  some  halsome 
instructions  o'  plain  reason,  and  haly  scripture.  I  tell  ye, 
Bauldy,  there  can  be  nae  sic  thing  as  a  real  ghaist ! 

As  he  spoke  this  sentiment,  the  Bedrel  uttered  a  kind  of 
scream,  while  he  looked  into  Master  James'  face,  and  breath 
ed  through  his  teeth,  "Losh  keep  me !  de  ye  hear  him?" 
Cargil  went  on. 

"  As  for  the  spirit  o'  a  Christian  man,  Bauldy,  it  is  gane 
to  heaven,  ye  ken,  and  is  mingling  in  the  communion  ol 
bliss,  within  the  circles  o'  the  saints  and  angels :  he  canna, 
and  he  wunna  wander  doon  here  awas.  Do  ye  think,  noo, 
Bauldy,  that  if  ye  were  yoursel,  in  heaven,  that  ye  wad 
really  be  sae  daft  as  to  tak  it  intil  yer  head  to  leave  sic  com 
pany,  for  the  purpose  o'  wanderin'  back  .intil  this  warld 
again,  and  frequenting  Kirk  yards,  and  sepulchral  vaults 
to  fricht  folks?" 

Bauldy  preserved  an  obstinate  silence  at  this  appeal,  by 
way  of  an  argumentum  ad  hominem. 

"  And  as  it  regards  the  ghaist  o'  a  bad  man,  his  Satan 
ic  majesty,  my  certie!  wunna  let  him  wander  back  to  his 
former  lairs.  I  wonder,  Bauldy,  hoo  it  could  Jiae  entered 
intil  the  noddles  o'  you  ghost-venders  to  gie  Sathan  credit 
for  being  sae  very  accommodating  !  Gif  ye  gang  thither, 
my  man,  ye'll  aiblins  find  the  treuth  o'  what  I'm  saying!" 

"  Why,  father  Cargil,  hae  ye  forgotten  the  case  o'  Samu 
el's  ghaist,  raised  by  the  witch  o'  Endor  ?"  Cried  the  Bedrel. 

"That,  I  tak  it,"  said  Cargil,  "was  nae  real  ghaist,  it 
was  een  flesh  and  blude  in  living  state — some  familiar  o' 
the  witch  a'  Endor — a  pawky  kimmer,  trained  tQ  enact  her 
pairt,  and  personify  Samuel.  I  defy  the  witch  o'  Endor, 
and  a'  ithers  whilk  hae  lived,  before  her,  or  since,  wi'  a'  their 

*  Sir  Walter  Scott  has  quoted  from  this  book,  on  Demonology,  &c.  p. 
259.  The  author  has  read  thia  ancient  and  most  extraordinary  work 
of  Sinclair's. 


140  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND. 

kimmers  and  imps  to  the  bargain,  "to  disturb  SamuePsrest," 
as  that  puir  crater,  ower-shooting  the  mark,  maist  stupidly 
asserted,  or  to  bring  his  body  frae  the  grave,  or  his  haly 
saul  frae  heaven,  on  her  cursed  errand !  Nae  created 
power  could  do  this.  And  wad  the  Almichty,  think  ye, 
at  a  witch's  bidding  raise  Samuel  frae  the  dead,  or  send  his 
pure  soul  frae  heaven,  on  sic  an  errand?  Wad  the  Almich 
ty  and  Haly  God  answer  Saul,  by  a  message,  delivered 
through  deevilry,  when  he  had  refused  to  answer  him  by 
the  usual  sanctified  gaite?  Na,  na,  the  Samuel  o'  the 
witch  o'  Endor's  making  was  a  leein'  limmer.  The  battle 
could  na  hae  been  foucht  on  "  the  morrow,"  as  it  said;  and 
Saul  could  na  hae  been  back  frae  Endor,  in  time  to  fight 
it,  on  "  the  morrow ;"  add  to  this  that  Saul  and  his  sons 
were  not  wi'  him  on  "the  morrow,"  besides  "Saul  and  his 
sons"  didna  a'  fa'  in  battle,  as  this  form  o'  speech  usually 
imports.  Thae  lees  mixed  wi'  grains  o'  treuth,  to  mak  them 
palatable,  betray  their  true  faither. 

"But  oor  deevils, — oor  rampaging  deevils, — gang  yer 
wa's  on  noo,  and  just  annihilate  them  too,  wi1  yer  philoso 
phical  light,n  said  Bauldy,  scarcely  able  to  maintain  his 
respect  for  his  old  pastor,  such  was  the  fierceness  of  his 
zeal  against  the  doctrine,  which  had  filled  him  with  utter 
amazement. 

"  Yes,  Bauldy,"  continued  Cargil  gravely,  "  thae  evil 
beings  hae  been,  they  are,  and  they  wull  be :  and  I  am  by 
nae  means  denying  their  existence,  or  their  influence.  I 
am  for  reforming  the  doctrine,  Bauldy, — not  for  annihilat 
ing  it.  That's  the  ither  extreme  :  and  it  would  puzzle  a 
Christian  man,  to  determine  whilk  o'  the  twa  is  the  maist 
irrational  and  impious.  In  oor  day,  we  are  lik  to  be  dri 
ven  upon  the  left  haun  extreme.  In  auld  lang  syne,  when 
men  were  pagans,  and  through  the  mirky  ages  o'  anti 
christ,  when  men  were  baptised  pagans, — the  deel  made 
ower  free  wi'  people's  minds ;  and  didna  e'en  try  to  con 
ceal  his  satannic  agency,  or  his  palpable  existence.  They 
e'en  did  gie  him  credit  for  mae  works,  and  tricks,  than  he 
e'er  bethought  himself  o'  duin'. — But,  now,  he  has  turned 
the  tables  against  us  :  he  has  driven  the  human  mind  into 
the  opposite  extreme.  He  has  succeeded  in  persuading 
multitudes  o'  brainless  craters,  that  there's  nae  deel,  nor 
evil  spirit,  in  a'  God's  world.  And  wi'  the  maist  pugna- 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  141 

cious  zeal,  by  word  o'  mooth,  and  grey  goose  quill,  they 
contend  that  e'en  he  wha's  aiblins  their  ain  master, — and 
their  saul-stirring  associates  hae  nae  existence  at  a'  :  that 
they  are  mere  phantoms, — mere  noucht  ava  !" 

"  Na,  na,"  cried  Bauldy,  "  naething  wunna  persuade  me, 
but  that  there  are  yer  violent  and  raging  deevils,  and 
ghaists,  ganging  aboot,  and  haunting  dead  men's  lairs,  and 
sic  eerisome  places  as  thae  dark  caves  and  crannies  alang 
the  wall  there,  behind  thae  grey  arches ;  and  when  they 
get  men  intil  their  power,  wi'  their  lang  claws  and  teeth, 
like  ten-pennie  nails,  they  harl  their  een  oot  o'  their  heads, 
and  pick  the  flesh  off  their  banes  as  easily  as  a  gos-hawk 
wad  claw  a  bonny  patrick,  or  as  a  tod-lourie  wad  spaw  ye  a 
maulkin  !" 

As  he  uttered  these  words  Master  James  clapped  his 
hands  and  burst  into  a  loud  fit  of  laughter,  "  Weel  rea 
soned,  Bauldy,  ha,  ha,  ha  !  a  fule,  a  Me, — I  met  a  fule  i' 
the  forest." 

Cargil  cast  a  grave  and  reproving  look  upon  James,  who 
seemed  to  him  more  disposed  to  exercise  wit  and  drollery 
than  an  argument  on  this  matter ;  but  he  himself  could 
not  help  laughing  outright  at  Bauldy's  most  rueful  coun 
tenance.  And  he  was  about  to  alter  the  form  of  his  ar 
gument  to  suit  the  Bedrel's  conceptions, — when  he  was  in 
terrupted  by  a  heavy  groan,  which  came  indistinctly  on 
their  ears  from  one  cf  the  crypts,  on  the  dark  side  of  the 
Kirk. 

Master  James  was  composed  into  a  grave  mood  in  a 
moment ;  and  came  close  up  to  Cargil' s  side.  Bauldy 
threw  himself  on  his  knees  behind  them,  and  grasped  a  leg 
of  each  of  them,  fast  in  his  arms,  while  his  breast  heav 
ed,  and  he  breathed  through  his  nose,  after  the  manner  of 
the  heaving  and  blowing  of  a  pair  of  bellows. 

After  a  silence  maintained  for  some  time,  Cargil  went 
on  in  reply  to  the  Bedrel ;  as  he  cast,  occasionally,  his 
eye  on  the  dark  place  whence  the  sound  came,  or  had 
seemed  to  come. 

"  But  to  the  point,  Bauldy,"  said  Cargil,  as  if  recovering 
himself  from  a  train  of  thoughts,  which  he  conceived  to  be 
as  much  a  digression,  as  if  he  had  given  utterance  to  them, 
"  the  lion  o'  hell,  I  tell  thee,  Bauldy,  is  chained," — •- 


142  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

"  I  wish  he  may  e'en  be  sae,"  ejaculated  Bauldy  with 
great  fervency. 

"  And  when  he  is  let  loose," 

"  The  gride  Lord  forbid  it,"  added  the  Bedrel. 

"  When  he's  let  loose,  he  has  ower  meikle  wit,  to  show 
his  cloven  foot,  or  his  sweeping  tail,  whilk  the  amateurs  hae 
assigned  to  his  orthodox  shape.  Sic  appearances,  on  his 
part,  wad  ruin  his  ain  cause.  Du  ye  no  see  it,  Bauldy  ? 
If  the  evil  ane  stept  in  among  his  ain  men  servants,  and 
maid  servants,  in  his  visible  coat  and  frightfu'  conforma 
tion  o'  head,  he  wad  put  them  clean  outricht  hors-du-com- 
bat,  unfit  for  his  service,  in  the  common  cause  o'  the  dark 
kingdom.  Na,  na,  he's  ower  cunning  to  mak  himsel  visi 
ble.  And,  mairover,  Sir,  his  plan  o'  ruin  pursued  against 
the  human  family,  is  ower  graite,  and  vast,  and  sweeping, 
to  allow  him,  or  any  o'  his  under-strappers  to  turn  fule  and 
mountebank  to  frighten  auld  women  and  weans  !  He  em 
ploys  visible  men,  Bauldy,  as  his  agents.  His  infernal 
machinery  is  on  a  grand  and  extensive  scale  o'  deevilish 
exactness :  and  while  he  sits  girnin',  and  pulling  the  wires 
behind  the  arras,  he  takes  ane  especial  care  to  hae  his  cloots, 
claws  and  horns  concealed  frae  a*  mortal  vision  ! 

"  But  gravely,  Bauldy,  it  is  becoming  Christian  men  to  re 
ject  the  folly  and  superstition  o'  olden  times ;  and  the  equal 
ly  absurd  atheism  o'  later  times,  touching  this  subject.  And 
be  the  malignity  and  capacity  o'  evil  spirits  for  mischief 
what  it  may,  there's  ANE  whose  nod  sets  bounds  to  their 
infernal  agency,  and  maks  the  fiercest  o'  their  legions  minis 
ter  at  the  wheels  o'  his  haly  Providence. 

"  For  me,  therefore,  I  fear  na  the  utmost  wrath  o'  the  Evil 
Ane.  The  Lord  God  omnipotent  reigneth  !  Place  me 
on  the  bleak  summit  o'  Benlomond,  surrounded  by  a'  the 
evils  o'  pining  want  and  burning  thirst, — place  me  in  the 
deepest  ravine  o'  the  Alps,  laved  by  its  dark  and  roaring 
flood, — place  me  in  the  solitary  bark,  on  the  mountain's 
wave,  or  the  loud  sweeping  torrent, — place  me  in  the  win 
try  blasts  which  rush  ower  the  cauld  Caledonia  forests  o1 
the  north, — place  me  in  the  gloomiest  cavern,  whare  the 
broken  waves  o'  grey  ocean  send  their  eerisome  moan  on 
the  ear  o'  the  shipwrecked  mariner,  where  eldritch  voices 
issue  from  its  secret  chambers,  and  phantoms  flit,  in  mys 
tic  seelence,  before  his  een, — place  me  under  the  fiend-like 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.         143 

flash  o]  the  inhuman  Cla verse's  een,or  the  demoniac  counte 
nance  o'  the  white  bearded  Chieftain, — place  me  on  the  table 
o'  the  Cooncil,  wi'  the  the  bootikins  on  ilka  shattered  leg, 
and  the  thumbkins,  on  each  disjointed  thumb, — place  me 
in  the  last  extremity  o'  mortal  agony  on  the  gibbet  or  at 
the  stake, — place  me  near  a  legion  o'  demons  lashed  into 
fury  by  their  satannic  chief, — yet  wull  I  rejoice  in  the 
Lord,  I  wull  be  joyful  in  the  God  o'  my  salvation  !  They 
might  torment  me,  they  might  mangle  thae  limbs,  they 
might  kill  auld  Donald  Cargil,  but  they  canna  hurt  him. 
For  naething  can  separate  me  frae  the  love  o'  God  !  Nae- 
thing  can  separate  his  love  frae  me  !"  he  added  in  an  im 
passioned  tone,  as  he  threw  back  his  cloak,  and  raised  his 
hands  and  eyes  to  heaven,  " '  For  I  am  persuaded  that 
neither  death  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor 
powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height, 
nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature  shall  be  able  to  separate 
us  from  the  love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  our 
Lord!'" 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

— "  Who  gives  any  thing  t 
hath  led  through  fire  and  through  flame,  through  ford  and  whirlpool 
over  bog  and  quagmire,  who  hath  laid  knives  under  his  pillow  and 
halters  in  his  pew !" — SHAKSPE ARE'S  LEAR. 

He  had  finished  these  admonitions,  and  was  enforcing 
them  by  some  personal  and  affectionate  cautions,  delivered 
in  a  low  whisper,  as  he  slowly  followed  Master  James  and 
the  Bedrel  up  the  steps,  when  a  second  groan  issued  from 
the  crypts  or  vaults  of  the  dead,  on  their  left  hand,  and 
louder  than  the  first. 

The  Bedrel  uttered  a  wild  halloo,  and  sprung  with  one 
bound  to  the  top  of  the  steps,  bearing  James  before  him, 
and  overturning  father  Cargil,  who  rolled  to  the  bottom  of 
the  steps. 

"  There,  noo !"  he  panted  out,  as  soon  as  he  could  col 
lect,  his  scattered  senses — while  he  threw  his  arms  about 


144  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND : 

James,  and  held  him  as  tightly  grasped  as  a  smith's  vice, 
"There,  noo  !  They're  gaun  to  tak  him  at  his  word! 
It'll  be  seen  what  wull  become  o'  a'  his  vapourin'  aboot 
brustlin  and  fighting  against  a  haile  legion  o'  deevils,  losh 
keep  us  a',  and  lashed  intil  fury  by  Sathan,  he  also  said," 
Bauldy  was  stopt  short  in  his  comment,  by  another  groan, 
which  gradually  rose,  note  by  note,  higher  and  higher, 
until  it  ended  in  a  quavering  scream.  And  then  followed 
on  their  astounded  ears  an  eldritch  grane  and  laugh. 

Bauldy  leaped  and  hallooed,  and  tore  his  hair,  and  made 
diligent  search  for  the  keys  in  each  of  the  huge  pockets  of 
his  doublet,  in  order  to  make  his  escape.  Master  James 
returned  to  the  bottom  of  the  steps  to  help  up  Cargil, — 
while  he  was  expressing  his  astonishment  at  the  possibili 
ty  of  any  impudent  varlet  getting  in  there  to  play  the  fool 
at  their  expense.  "  It  is  certain,"  replied  Cargil,  "  that  the 
door  at  which  we  entered  was  bolted,  and  sae  were  the 
rest, — and  not  even  a  tod-lowry  could  creep  in  through  ony 
o'  the  Gothic  windows." 

They  looked  earnestly  on  the  spot  whence  the  sound 
had  issued, — i3ut  nothing  was  visible.  Meantime  Bauldy, 
not  being  certain  of  safety  above,  and  conceiving  it  possi 
ble  that  the  goblin  might  assail  him  where  he  was  single- 
handed,  threw  himself  down  the  steps  and  hurried  near  to 
Cargil  and  James : — while  his  frame  shook  like  an  aspen 
leaf,  and  his  teeth  chattered  like  a  pair  of  castanets.  And 
he  seized  upon  them  as  by  a  death's  grasp ;  his  eyes,  the 
while,  staring  wide,  and  flashing  fire  from  beneath  his  hair, 
which  stood  up  on  end,  like  hogs  bristles.  And  the  more 
they  strove  to  shake  him  off,  the  greater  he  conceived  the 
danger  to  be,  and  he  clenched  his  hold  the  tighter,  as  he 
ejaculated  broken  fragments  of  prayers. 

"  There  it  is  at  last,"  he  screamed  out,  as  he  retreated 
behind  Cargil,  "  Du  ye  not  see  it  noo?  There!  I  see  its 
horns.  It's  auld  Nick,  see,  see !  O  Lud,  Lud  !  I  wush  I 
were  sittin  'a-straddle,  on  the  neb  o'  the  Heigh  Kirk  steeple 
weather-cock !  Oich!  we're  berried  and  ruined  a'  o'  us — 
outricht,  soul  and  body  and  a' !"  And  he  fell  down  and 
groaned  in  despair. 

Cargil  and  Master  James  watched  the  motions  of  the 
being,  which  had  emerged  from  the  obscurity  behind  one 
of  the  groined  pillars.  The  gloamin  threw  a  faint  beam 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.          145 
i 

on  it.  Its  stature  might  be  of  the  height  of  four  feet.  It 
was  a  square,  firm  built  figure.  Its  two  shoulders  rose 
high ;  its  face  was  unusually  large ;  its  forehead  high  and 
bald ;  while  its  bushy  and  grizzly  locks,  on  each  side  of  its 
head,  were  brought  forward  and  upward,  in  thick  bunches 
and  might  have  been  taken,  as  Bauldy  did  take  them,  for 
horns.  Its  chin,  which  projected  downward  and  forward 
on  its  breast,  was  surmounted  with  a  grey  beard :  and  its 
large  eyes  flashed  fire  from  the  obscurity  of  its  lurking- 
place.  It  hobbled  from  pillar  to  pillar,  as  it  chattered,  and 
moaned,  and  held  earnest  discourse  with  itself. 

"  The  auld  mools  rattle  -in  the  coffin, 

Dead  men  are  abroad  this  night : 

The  nicht  wind  is  whistling — 
The  dogs  howl,  and  race  it  up  the  Molindinar. 
The  howlet,  frae  the  fir-top,  hoots  it  frae  the  brae  side. 
It's  a'  dreadfu'." 

Then  opening  its  long,  stiffened  jaws  it  poured  out 
sounds,  in  wild  imitation  of  those  ominous  beings  he  had 
named.  And  then  it  hobbled  along,  muttering  strange 
words  through  its  chattering  teeth. 

Master  James  shuddered,  and  placing  his  hand  on  Car- 
gil's  shoulder,  he  made  a  motion  to  go  up  the  stairs.  For 
Bauldy, — he  screamed  louder  still ;  and  rolling  on  the 
floor,  he  pressed  a  thumb  into  each  of  his  ears,  and  hid  his 
face  with  his  hands. 

As  Bauldy  screamed,  the  creature  turned  suddenly 
round — and  half  hid  behind  a  pillar,  it  fixed  its  keen  eyes 
on  them — which  glanced  with  dark  fire — and  raising  its 
little  grey  mantle,  it  shook  its  fist,  "  How  daur  ye  invade 

me  ? I  teuk  possession  o'  thae  premises  amang  the 

dead,  after  Maister  Cargil  was  banished  by  the  powers ; 
here  I  haunt ....  hame  hae  I  nane!" 

Bauldy  started  up,  and  glowered  wildly  at  the  unearthly 
figure.  But  he  felt  his  courage  revive  at  the  sound  'o' 
gude  braid  Scotch.'  "  May  it  please  you,"  he  cried,  after 
some  efforts,  "  I  mean  Maister  Deevil !— or  whom  may  I 
ca'  ye — I  mean  you,  Sir,  Sathan — please  ye,  this  saum 
man  here  is  Maister  Cargil,  and  it  please  ye  to  give  up  to 
him  again  the  peaceable  possession!" 

"  Donald  Cargil !  Eh  ?"  and  it  approached  a  few  steps 

VOL.  i. — N. 


146  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

nearer  as  it  muttered  to  itself,  Donald  Cargil !  ha,  ha,  ha ' 
I  ken  ye  better.  Na,  na,  his  grey  pow  was  bagged  off 
And  his  bleached  skull  is  heigh  in  air  on  Embro's  wa's- 
Hu,  hu,  hu!  I  see  it, — I  ken  the  date  o'  the  bludy  deed- 
My  puir  mither  was  slauchtered  aboot  the  same  time. 
Donald  Cargil,  na,  na  !  Daft  gomeril,  dinna  deceive  me!" 

"  Wha  art  thoo  ?"  cried  Cargil "  Wha  am  I  ?  Ha, 

ha,  ha !  That's  a  question  for  ye,  to  be  sure.  Wha — am 
— I  ?  I  was, — aince, — a  man.  Noo,  I'm  naebody, — nae- 
thing  ava.  I  am  a  wee  pickle  .o'  dry  dust, — meer  stoor — 
and  my  saul  in  a  roaring  low,  settin'  a'  in  a  bleeze.  Ha, 
ha,  ha!  wha  am  I," 

Then  clearing  his  throat,  and  bringing  from  below  his 
doublet  what  was  almost  the  fragment  of  an  old  violin,  he 
.ng  in  a  harsh  and  broken  voice. 

"Bludy  McKenzie — cum  oot  an'  ye  daur — 
Heard  ye  that  grane  ? — It  was  my  MITHER. 

Lauderdale  loud  is  the  wild  sooch  o'  war — 
Heard  ye  that  grane  ? — It  was  my  MITHER  !" 

"As  I  live  by  bread,"  cried  Bauldy,  with  surprise, 
and  no  small  sense  of  shame  at  his  own  cowardice,  "that 
budy  is  nane  else  than  DAFT  RABB,  hear  him." 

"  Hech !  Sirs ;  that  was  aince  the  bonny  butt  end  o'  a 
dainty  auld  sang.  The  chorus,  in  olden  times,  was  in  this 
gaite,— 

"  We  bonny  braw  three ; 

Jf  under  the  greenwold,  greenwold  tree." 

But  noo,  Sirs,  it's  "Heard  ye  that  grane  ?  It  was  MY  MI 
THER."  I  did  change  it  back  to  its  ain  auld  gaite,  aiblins 
half  a  score  of  times.  But,  wow  me !  The  strings  o'  my 
fiddle  wad  soond  nocht  ava,  but  ay  this, — 

"  Heard  ye  that  grane  1    It  was  MT  MITHER." 

And  1  was  na  able  to  contradict  the  only  freed  that 
stuck  to  me  in  «'  my  sorrows  !  And  wat  ye  the  reason  why 
my  faithful  strings  ay  sound  nocht  but  this? — I  could 
laugh  you  it, — and  I  could  cry  you  it  oot.  It  soond  it  ay 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.          147 

m  my  heart's  core.  My  puir  cracked  heart  strings  soond 
nocht  but  that  ilka  day — 

"  Chver  the  brush,  and  ower  the  brake ; 
Ower  the  stream,  and  ower  the  lake  ; 
And  ower  the  muir  among  the  heather." 

But  stop  me .....  that's  no  it.  That's  a  wee  swatch  o'the 
profane." — He  made  a  pause, — passed  his  long  skinny 
hand  across  his.  brow,  and  tuning  his  voice,  he  sung  with 
a  slow  melting  air — while  he  flung  the  end  o'  his  tartan 
plaid  and  the  folds  of  his  little  grey  mantle  over  his  left 
shoulder ;  placed  a  hand  on  each  haunch,  and  stood  firm 
on  each  foot. 

"  Got  spake  the  gude  wife  ayont  the  fire  ; — 
Clnverhouse  glowered,  and  sae  did  his  men. 

I  care'na  for  you  ;  nor  yet  for  a  higher  ; — 
The  King  an'  a'  his  coort  may  cum  ben. 

Whaur  lurks  my  Jeemie  ye  ne'er  sail  ken: 
I  bide  by  the  truth — And  Mause  canna  swither. — 

Claverse — he  fired — and  sae  did  his  men. — 
Heard  ye  that  grane  ?     It  was  my  Mither." 

He  then  raised  the  old  violin  to  his  neck,  and  played  a  slow, 
solemn  Scotch  tune,  while  he  sobbed  and  cried  like  a 
very  child. 

"  My  certie !  ye're  a  canny  ghaist,  my  frien'  Rab,"  cried 
the  Bedrel,  as  he  advanced  on  our  spectre  with  a  great 
fraise,  while  he  cast  his  eyes  back  with  a  knowing  look  on 
Cargil,  and  whispered,  "  It's  wee  Daft  Rabb  o'  Balornock ! 
de  ye  think  I  dinna  ken  him?" 

Bauldy  added  as  he  perceived  Cargil  earnestly  examin 
ing  the  face  of  the  maniac,  "  Gude  honest  Mause  o'  the  cot 
tage  on  the  Knowe  near  Balornock — ye  kenned  her  weel. 
But  puir  Rab  is  waefully  changed  since  the  cauld  bluded 
murder  of  his  mither.  He  tint  his  senses  sune  after.  My 
gude  freen'  Rab,  hoo  got  ye  intil  the  Kirk  when  I  had  the 
keys  ?  but  cum,  nae  mair  anent  this — cum  and  speak  to 
yer  honest  mither's  minister,  Donald  Cargil." 

The  poor  maniac  stretched  out  his  hand  to  the  Bedrel, 
and  laughed. — Then  fixing  a  stern  look  on  Cargil,  he  let 
go  the  Bedrel's  hand  and  started  back. 

Cargil  remembered  that  pious  Kirk-going  Mause, — her 


148  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND . 

once  peaceful  cottage,  and  her  once  active  and  affectionate 
Rob — and  he  wept  as  he  thought  of  them. 

The  maniac  gazed  in  his  face.  The  early  impression 
of  the  report  on  his  mind  that  Cargil  had  fallen,  seemed 
to  be  stronger  on  his  heart,  than  even  that  made  by  his  pre 
sence  before  him — now  that  his  mind  was  crazed, — and  he 
broke  out,  •'  Maist  worthy  Pastor,  waur  ye  no  hanged  and 
quartered? — I'm  sure  ye  waur.  I  did  hear  it  truly 

affirmed  sune  after  puir  Mither  was  shot  by ,  but  I 

daur  na  name  him.  His  name  blisters  my  lips,  and  sets 
my  soul  in  a  lowe.  Had  he  shot  Rab— that's  me, — I 
shoudna  hae  cared: — I  should  hae  forgiven  him: — But  to 

shoot  Mither  ! But  I  remember  me — puir  Mither 

spak  thae  last  words,  just  as  the  guns  went  aff  wi'  a  fear- 
fu'  crack, — "Lord  forgie  them,! — for  they  kenna  what 
they're  aboot."  Sae,  my  masters,  I  forgie  them.  And  I 
sail  let  ye  see  the  prufe  o't,  worthy  pastor.  My  mither 
used  to  kneel  doon,  as  it  were,  in  that  end  o'  the  cottage, 
fast  by  the  wee  aumbry,  and  sing,  and  then  read  the  Word, 
and,  neist,  pray.  I  hae  kept  up  the  gude  custom,  sae  do  I. 
I  kneel  me  doon  and  pray  there :  but  I  am  ay  like  to  choke  ; 
something  ay  comes  up  in  my  throat :  and  I  get  sae  wae, 
that  I  canna  get  utterance ;  and  the  saut  tears  rin  ower 
my  puir  wuzzoned  cheeks.  Besides,  sirs,  it's  unco  cauld 
there  in  the  cottage.  Mither  is  not  there,  and  the  fire's  oot ; 
and  the  roof  is  a'  blawn  aff,  and  the  hearth  stane  is  cauld 
and  wat. — Weel !  I  name  him  in  my  prayers, — I  mean 
the  man  wha  shot  puir  mither  !  And  Hk  as  mither  tauld 
me,  I  ay  render  gude  for  evil  to  ilka  an  o'  them.  I  there 
by  heap  coals  o'  fire  upon  their  head, — to  burn  their  hairns 
oot !" 

He  now  stood  for  a  few  moments,  staring  at  Cargil, 
with  upraised  hands,  then  approaching  him  he  touched 
his  hands.  "  Noo,  I'm  sure  ye're  leevin' after  a' !"  cried 
he :  and  he  threw  himself  on  the  floor,  and  held  the  old 
Pastor  by  the  knees,  and  kissed  his  hands,  and  wept  like  a 
child.  As  soon  as  he  could  articulate,  he  stammered  out, 
"  Hech  !  sir,  my  puir  mither  wull  ne'er  mair  sit  at  yer  feet, 
and  hear  the  Word!" — Then  he  looked  up  in  Cargil's 
face  and  laughed :  and  then  he  wept.  "  But  she's  gaun 
hame !"  he  cried ; — "  she's  now  gaun  hame  !  And  I'm  go- 
mg  hame  too  !  I'm  on  the  way.  They  ca'  me  puir  daft 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.          149 

Rab.  And  sae  I  am  e'en  puir  daft  Rab !  But  the  Re 
deemer, — the  merciful  ANE  redeems  puir  daft  folks,  as  weel- 
as  you,  wha  are  wise  ! — Weel,  as  to  mither ; — She  was  an 
unco  gude  mither  to  me.  She  nourishsd  me  kindly  after 
faither's  death.  She  was  a  gude  woman,  and  we  lived 
unco  happy  togither.  But  a  body  they  ca'  Claverse, — the 
deel,  they  say,  brought  him  lately  ower  frae  France;  this 
Claverse  wages  war  wi'  feckless  widows,  and  silly  weans ; 
he  cam  on  us  !  It  was  a  sair  morning  to  me,  sirs !  They 
ca'  him  a  deevil:  but  I  weel  wat  that's  no  true.  He's  a  hu 
man  being  to  my  knowledge,  for  when  he  shot  mither, 
— no  kennin'  unco  weel  what  I  was  doin', — I  ran  on  him ; 
I  teuk  him  by  the  lug ;  I  kept  my  haud  o't,  and  pu'd  it 
amaist  clean  aff:  He  ran  yelloching,  lik  a  deevil  incar 
nate  ! — I'm  no  swearin',  sirs  !  I'm  only  stating  facts — the 
blude  spouted  ower  his  brown  curls,  and  ower  his  bit  skan- 
cin'  thing  on  his  shoulder.  Weel !  they  only  felled  daft 
Rab  doon — they  didna  shoot  him.  But  let  that  pass. 
God  wull  right  his  ain,  I  ken  weel.  He  wha  redeems 
puir  daft  Rab,  wull  ne'er  leave  him,  nor  forsake  him!  And 
in  the  bricht  mornin'  o'  eternity,  it  wull  be  seen  whether 
Charles  and  Claverse  were  daft,  or  puir  heverel  Rab,  af 
ter  a'." 

During  this  simple  and  touching  expression  of  senti 
ment,  Cargil  and  Master  James  were  bathed  in  tears.  Car- 
gil  took  him  by  the  hand,  and  pronounced  his  benediction 
on  the  humble  natural,  in  an  affecting  and  paternal  tone ; 
and  then  added : — "  Fear  nocht,  my  puir  Rab  !  God  wha 
taks  care  o'  his  ain,  wull  tak  care  o'  thee — And  we  sail  a' 
meet  in  heaven:  there  the  wicked  cease,  frae  troubling  and 
there  the  weary  are  at  rest !  " 

Rab  grasped  his  hand  and  kissed  it  again  and  again,  and 
bathed  it  with  his  tears. 

"  Faither  and  mither  wull  be  there  too,"  cried  he;  and 
he  laughed,  and  then  he  wept,  alternately. 

The  Bedrel  now  led  him  away  to  his  house ;  and  by  the 
instructions  of  Cargil  he  never  permitted  him  to  leave  his 
humble  dwelling,  until  he  got  him  placed  under  the  care  of 
the  sweet  angel  of  charity,  Helen  Wardlaw. 


150  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAITIK 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

"  Their  lips  hymn'd  praise,  their  right  hands  on  their  hilw, 
Who  in  defence  of  conscience,  freedom,  law, 
Looked  stern,  with  unaverted  eyes,  on  death, 
In  ev'ry  form  of  horror." — GRAHAME. 

The  sufferers  never  failed  to  hold  their  public  meetings, 
from  time  to  time,  throughout  the  land.  This  was  a  part 
of  their  sound  policy.  They  were  well  aware,  that,  if  they 
once  yielded  so  far  to  the  storm  of  persecution,  as  to  aban 
don  these  meetings,  they  must  soon  be  divided,  and  conquer 
ed.  Our  brave  and  pious  ancestors  had  a  twofold  object 
in  view  in  these  meetings,  or  CONVENTICLES.  The  peo 
ple  were  instructed  in  Christian  principles,  and  thence  ex 
cited  to  piety.  This  was  >  one  great  object.  They  were 
thus  prepared,  as  immortal  beings,  for  the  mansions  of  glo- ' 
ry.  This  was  not  all :  the  people  were  thereby,  as  citizens, 
kept  in  a  state  of  preparedness  to  receive,  and  enjoy  the  boon 
of  civil  liberty.  Every  tyrant  knows  that  a  people,  in  or 
der  to  be  made  slaves,  must  be  kept  in  ignorance  and  irre- 
ligion.  And  every  lover  of  liberty  knows  that  knowledge 
and  religion  are  inseparably  connected  with  a  noble  inde 
pendence  of  mind,  and  ardent  love  of  liberty.  Hence  ty 
rants  are  enemies  to  knowledge  and  the  pure  gospel  of 
Christ..  To  fan  the  fire  of  liberty  was  the  second  object 
which  they  had  in  view,  in  the  CONVENTICLES.  Nor  were 
they  disappointed.  From  every  one  of  these  meetings  did 
the  people  depart  with  an  increasing  ardour  in  the  holy 
cause,  and  with  a  more  deeply  fixed  resolution  to  persevere 
till  the  tyrant  should  be  hurled  from  his  seat,  or  relinquish 
his  tyranny! 

A  general  union  was  also  kept  up.  There  seldom  fail 
ed  to  be  messengers  present  from  the  remotest  counties,  and 
also  from  Holland,  to  communicate  with  the  main  body, 
and  to  give  and  receive  instructions,  mutually. 

The  fruits  of  these  Conventicles  became  daily  more  and 
more  apparent.  The  suffering  patriots  cheered  each  other 
with  the  assurance  that  the  dark  night  was  passing  away, 
and  the  morning  watch  approaching.  At  every  Conven 
ticle  new  friends  were  gained  over,  and  efficient  measures 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STtiRTS.          151 

taken  to  spread  light,  and  to  inspire  a  deep-rooted  abhor 
rence  of  tyranny  over  all  the  land ;  and  trusty  men,  who 
witnessed  these  scenes,  were,  from  time  to  time,  sent  over 
the  land,  and  into  Holland,  "  to  consult  with  the  numerous 
exiles,  and  to  importune  the  gallant  and  pious  PRINCE,  to 
commiserate  them,  and  to  send  relief,  or  come  himself  to  do 
both." 

It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  therefore,  that  the  tyrant  and 
his  minions  employed  every  means  to  fix  a  deep  stigma  on 
these  meetings,  which  they  called  the  'rendevouses  of  rebel 
lion.1  And  hence  they  were  watched  with  the  utmost  anx 
iety,  and  punished  with  sanguinary  violence. 
A  D  The  great  Conventicle,  took  place  this  spring,  in 
;i67S.  the  woods  of  Carlsness,  and  passed  off,  with  an  in 
creasing  and  cheering  degree  of  excitement 

The  young  noblemen,  particularly  Perth  and  Annandale, 
had  been  anxious  to  witness  a  Conventicle.  They  had 
promised  themselves  much  amusement,  and  a  fruitful  source 
of  anecdote  and  merriment  for  a  year  to  come.  And  as 
every  speaker  arose,  their  countenances  and  risible  powers 
indicated  the  note  of  preparation  for  a  burst  of  laughter 
suppressed  and  concealed,  by  bonnet,  plume,  and  kerchief. 

They  had  anticipated  a  motly  group,  of  incurable  barba 
rism  in  manners,  and  shocking  rudeness  in  speech.  They 
looked  out  for  harangues  in  which  the  most  monstrous 
figures  and  illusions  should  be  blended  with  folly  and  trea 
son.  They  expected  to  hear  quotations  made  from  the 
Apocrypha,  and  from  Romish  divines,  by  mistake,  instead 
of  the  hallowed  pages  of  the  Bible.*  They  expected  whin 
ing  and  canting,  and  nasal  twangs,  and  "  pulpit  blaudins, 
and  figures  o'  speech,  which  not  even  a  saunt  could  resist." 

They  were  quite  disappointed.  Annandale  and  the  rest 
of  them  gradually  calmed  down,  and  even  looked  grave, 
while  some  of  them  whispered  to  Burleigh,  "  if  this  was 

THE  GENUINE  CONVENTICLE." 

"Unquestionably,"  whispered  Burleigh,  "this  is  a  Con- 
renticle  of  the  usual  way.  I  see,  however,  that  you  have 
been  deceived.  The  rustic  and  ludicrous  species  of  Con- 
renticles,  is  not  after  this  son.  If  you  want  to  see  one  o' 

*As  one  writer,  I  mean  Sir  Walter  Scott  in  his  Old  Mortality,  ha» 
actually,  in  our  times,  represented  them  as  doing. 


152  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

these,  you  must  find  out  the  "weekly  exercises"  whilk  are 
held  in  divers  places,  ower  the  laun,  whaur  nane  o'  the  pas 
tors  usually  preside,  nor  e'en  attend,  whaur  illiterate  men 
do  not  content  themselves  with  praying,  but  do  pour  out 
their  effusions  by  way  of  exhortations.  Thae  wull  come 
up  to  the  full  measure  of  the  ludicrous.  I  hae  seen  e'en 
Sir  Robert  there,  and  Torfoot,  and  e'en  the  graver  sort  o' 
the  elders,  run  oot  frae  beneath  the  clud  o'  peat  reek,  to 
laugh  thar  laugh  oot,  ahint  the  peat  stack.  By  the  spirit 
of  Demosthenes !  neither  the  Greek  nor  the  Roman  lads 
waur  equal  to  the  shoonless,  huggered  orators  at  thae  con 
venticles  of  laymen.  Sic  roaring,  sic  quotations,  sic  meta 
phors,  and  sic  like  figures  !  Thay  wad  strike  ye  dumb  all 
yer  Cicefos  and  Demosthenes,  and  a'  modern  man  o'  migh 
ty  declamation.  Not  e'en  father  Cargil  there,  could  staun 
their  figures  o'  speech.  Ane  o'  thae  blades  was,  the  ither 
evening,  praying  in  the  meeting  and  wushing  to  offer  up  a 
petition  for  oor  pastors  and  elders ;  o'  the  latter,  some  few 
were  present;  and  minting  to  quote  frae  Jeremy,  the  words 
"anent  their  goin'  forth  as  he-goats  afore  the  flock,"  he 
besought  heaven  that  "  thae  elder's  mieht  be  a1  turned  intil 
he-goats"  And  that  was  na  a' ;  ane  o'  the  elders, — Rab 
Finlay,  he  whae  haes  but  ae  ee,  roored  oot,  no  by  way  o' 
say  in  Amen,  as  yer  bits  o'  white  sarked  clerks  du  in  cha 
pels,  but  he  bawled  oot, — -Dinna  mean  me  there,  Jeemoc,  I 
wad  rather  be  a  ram,  or  e'en  a  gimmer,  than  ane  o'  yer  he- 
goats  !" 

"  On  the  contrair,  my  hearties,"  continued  Burleigh,  whis 
pering  to  his  companions,  who  sat  behind  a  stately  oak, 
amid  the  dense  foliage  of  underwood  and  brackens,  "  ye  see 
afore  ye,  men  of  gude  Scottish  education,  college-bred  pas 
tors,  men  o'  honest  descent,  and  mainy  o'  them  hae  associ 
ated  wi'  oor  noblemen  and  gentry.  And  they  speak  oor 
national  language  wi'  great  exactness,  beauty,  and  elo 
quence.  Ye  mistake  the  sufferers,  my  gallants,  totally. 
Yer  feckless  brained  chaps,  and  yer  unprincipled  lads  hae 
a'  abandoned  them.  They  hae  gone  ower  to  that  side  o1 
the  noose,  wha  hae  the  loaves  and  the  fishes  to  serve  oot, 
and  wha  hae  put  them  into  leevins,  whilk  is  to  say,  gude  quar 
ters,  plenty  o'  veevers,  and  easy  spiritual  services.  Noo, 
it  bespeaks  ye  men  o'  some  nerve,  and  patriotism,  wha  staun 
not.  Take  yer  second  view  o'  thae  five  suffering  auld  min- 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  153 

isters  ower  the  way,  wha  hae  been  speakin'.  The  enemy 
hae  failed  to  buy  them.  Mony  o'  their  associates  and  the 
lower  order  hae  had  their  prices.  But  thae  men,  whilk  the 
apostates,  and  Tories  affect  to  despise  wi'  the  maist  scorn- 
fu'  een,  they  canna,  naitheless,  command  gowd  enough  to 
buy  them !  They  count  a'  things  but  loss  lor  Scotland,  for 
Scotland's  freedom,  and  her  haly  religion !  Wad  they  yet 
tak  the  enemy's  bribes,  and  gang  their  wa's  ower  quietly 
to  the  rank  o'  them  wha  aince  upheld  Scotland's  law  and 
religion ;  they  might  soon  staun  wi'  as  prood  looks  as  ony 
ane  o'  the  licenced  oppressors  o'  the  laun  j  ay  !'  and  might 
sune  sport  their  mitre  and  crazier  !." 

"  Mairover,  cast  yer  eyes  ower  the  Conventicle.  They 
are  not  o'  the  lower  rabble  by  any  means.  The  low  and 
unprincipled  rabble  are  ower  easy  bought,  to  be  found  here : 
they  are,  generally  speaking,  on  the  ither  side:  they  are 
the  hungry  spies,  and  informers  against  the  sufferers,  wha 
are  usually  o'  the  better  sort.  Look  ye,  my  Lord  Mauch- 
lin,  and  my  Lord  Annandale,  ye  canna  see  ane  there,  in  the 
wide  circle,  but  has  come  trig,  and  braw,  and  neatly  dress 
ed,  frae  the  bushy  silken  rose  o'  the  shoon,  up  to  the  decent 
and  cleanly  shining  head  dress,  and  purple,  or  scarlet  hood. 
And  e'en  the  auld  wives  o'  a  lower  order,  there,  they  hae 
their  scarlet,  and  their  blue  mantles,  and  their  decent  black 
hoods." 

"  And,  besides,  my  gallants,  look  ye  on  the  rjcht  side  o' 
the  pastors,  on  that  double  row  o'  cushioned  benches,  whaur 
the  grassy  sod  is  strewed  wi'  green  rushes  and  sprits,  there 
sit  ye  a  row,  by  nae  means  contemptible,  o'  Scotland's  nobles 
and  gentry,  few  but  precious,  and  dear  to  ilka  lover  o'  his 
kintry.  Noo,  note  me,  gude  my  young  lords,  and  I  shall 
name  ye  their  names.  And,  Annandale,  I  need  na  tell  you 
that  there  are  eyes  as  bright,  and  cheeks  as  fair,  as  eer  Je 
saw  in  courtly  ground,  or  in  sparklin'  ball.  I  see  ye  hlRjp 
been  duing  devotion  to  mair  than  ae  beautiful  lady,  and  in 
sae  duin'  to  my  knowledge,  ye  hae  spoiled  the  devotion  o' 
ane,  at  least,  ower  beneath  that  pretty  ash  tree.  That  is 
the  fair  daughter  of  old  Lord  Kardross,  who  sits  beside  him, 
and  his  lady,  her  mother.  Noo,  follow  me,  I  shall  name 
them  in  the  order  in  which  they  sit.  That  is  Sir  Patriqk 
Hume  o1  Palwart.*  He  looks  ye  like  a  richt  Stalwart 

*  Afterwards  the  Earl  of  Marchmont,  in  King  William's  reign. 


154  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

Knight.     There  is  Bailey  o'  Jerviswood,  and  Lady  Jervis- 
wood.     Douglas  o!   Cavers  sits  next,  by  the  side  o'  his 
beautiful  and  accomplished  lady.     The  next  are  Drummond 
o'  Meggins,  and  Lady  Drummond.     That  stately  and  noble 
lookin'  man,  who  stauns  wi'  eyes  eagerly  bent  on  father 
Cargil,  dressed  in  rich  apparel,  and  leaning  on  his  sword, 
is  Hay  o'  Balhousie.*     On  that  other  row  sit  the  Gordons 
o'  Gallowvvay '.   Dame  Stewart,  Lady  Castlestuart,  and  her 
attendants.     That  is  Stuart  o'  Ravenstown,  and  by  his  side 
is  his  charming  lady.     There,  look  ye,  that  is  Sir  Andrew 
Kennedy  o'  Clowburn,  and  the  Laird  o'  Douchal  is  at  his 
left  hand.     On  that  row  o'  benches  are  seated  Sir  John  Kirk- 
ady  o1   Grange :  Pitcairn  o'    Pitlour ;  Scott   o'   Pitlochie, 
and  the  Laird  o'  Reddie.     There,  under  that  beautiful  oak, 
whilk  shades  them  wi'  his  young  leaves,  sits  a  row  of  Scot 
tish  dames,  whose  house,  I  mean  ilka  ane  o'  them,  is  dear 
to  Scottish  hearts.     There  is  Lady  Torvvoodlee,  Lady  Ga- 
lashiels,  and  the  Ladies  Onthank,  Halhill,  Colvil,  Colerny 
Balcanquel.     And  there's  the  gausy  Knight  o'  Cathcart, 
Sir  Boyse  Semple,  and  his  bright  eened  daughter,  by  the 
side  o'  bonny  Helen  Wardlaw,  wha  wad  adorn,  my  certie! 
any  ane  o'  yer  coronets  !     That  portly  bald-headed  man  is 
the  Laird  o'  Ashestiel,  and  T>y  his  side  sits  Lady  Fernylie. 
And  beyond  him  sitsrKer  o'  Kersland,  one  of  the  best  o'  Scot 
tish  Lairds,  and  near  him  are  Caldwell  o'  that  ilk,  Lady 
Caldwell,  and  their  gallant  son,  and  bonny  daughter.     On 
the  left  there  are  seated  Sir  William  Fleming  o'  Ferm,  and 
his  elegant  and  accomplished  dame.    You  will  perceive  that 
she  is  unco  like  Mary,  Queen  o'  Scots,  ye'll  mind  ye  o'  her 
likeness  in  Halyrood  hoose.     And  mark  ye,  Lady  Flem 
ing  prides  hersel  in  nae  sma'  degree  on  this,  and  she  has 
imitated  the  head  gear  o'  Scotland's  royal  beauty,  Whig  or 
no  Whig,  as  she  is>" 

Lord  Mauchlin  pointed  to  an  elegant  man  with  his 
doublet  buttoned  to  his  chin ;  with  ruff  of  no  small  dimen 
sions;  and  a  fine  high  forehead,  and  glossy  curled  locks. 
"  That,"  whispered  Burleigh,  "  is  Lord  Cranston.  It  has 
been  understood  that  our  party  should  adopt  some  mea 
sures  o'  mair  importance  than  mere  concealment :  or  even 
bold  self-defence.  Hence  there's  a  fuller  meeting  this  day 

*  Afterwards  the  Earl  of  Kinnoul. 


OR,   THE    LAST    OF    THE    STUARTS.  156 

than  usual.  And  close  in  the  rear  o'  Cranston,  are  Sir 
Adam  Whitford,  and  Dalswinton ;  and  Sir  William  Scott 
o1  Harden.  And,  finally,  that  Giant  man,  in  grey,  with 
belt  and  sword,  with  the  fine  Roman  nose,  and  long  jet 
curls  falling  doon  on  his  shoulders,  is  Sir  Walter  Riddle, 
of  that  ilk,  near  Glasgow." 

Religious  services  being  closed,  with  the  holy  benedic 
tion  pronounced  by  Cargil,  several  of  the  knights  addressed 
the  meeting.     All  were  of  the  opinion  that  something  ought 
to  be  done.     But  there  was  a  lamentable  want  of  harmo 
ny  as  to  the  manner  in  which  that  something  might  be 
done.     They  all  resolved  that  the  minions  of  tyranny,  and 
the  evil  counsellors,  around  the  throne,  should  be  over 
thrown  and  dispersed.     But,  each  speaker  had  his  opinion 
as  to  the  most  effective  way  of  reaching  this  object.    Every 
one  bewailed  the  state  o'  Scotland,  and  the  Kirk  o'  God. 
All  was  at  stake.     But  there  was  a  want  of  union  among 
the  efficient  leaders  ;  and  a  fatal  apathy  among  the  nobility. 
But,  by  multiplying  these  conventicles,  and  coming  to  them 
armed,  they  did  indulge  the  hope  of  rousing  even  the  no 
bles  to  a  sense  of  the  danger  of  their  Kintry  before  her  lib 
erty,  and  the  Reformed  religion  should  be  finally  extin 
guished.     "  Yes,"  cried  Lord  Kardross,    "  we   claim  no 
higher  titles  than  lovers  o'  oor  Kintry  and  defenders  o'  that 
faith  intrusted  to  us  by  oor  brave  and   pious  ancestors. 
Let  these  conventicles,  these  meetings  of  a  people  deter 
mined  to  be  free,  be  multiplied  ower  the  laun.     They  are 
terrible  to  tyranny,  and  atheism.     Let  them  ca'  them — as 
the  minions  and  base  loons  about  the  council,  du  ca'  them, 
the  rendezvouses  of  rebellion.     For  me,  I  pledge  mysel, 
and  my  estate,  and  sacred  honour,  to  wage  war  against 
thae  miscreants,  wha  poison  the  ears  o'  his  Majesty."    "  And 
I,"  cried  Lord   Cranston,  laying  his  hand  on  the  hilt  of 
his  sword — "  do,  before  high  heaven,  pledge  thee  to  stand 
by  thy  side." 

Here  the  bustle  and  noise  which  had  begun  during  the 
elder  Lord  Kardross'  speech,  was  increasing  into  a  tumult. 
And  one  of  their  sentinels  rushing  into  the  midst  of  the  peo 
ple,  cried  out,  "  a  party  of  dragoons  is  approaching,  at  full 
gallop ;  and  they  have  every  appearance  of  the  life-guards 
men,  and  the  furious  riding  of  the  commander,  is  like 
the  riding  of  Graham  of  Claverhouse,  the  Jehu  o'  the 
Tories !" 


156  THE  WHIOS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

JAMES  GRAHAM,  usually  called  Claverhouse,  or  Claverse, 
was  a  remote  branch  of  the  house  of  Graham,  Marquis  of 
Montrose.  And  his  very  name  and  relationship  called 
up  only  painful  associations  in  the  mind  of  every  Scottish 
patriot. 

He  had  been  abroad  in  the  French  wars.  He  arrived 
in  Scotland  in  the  year  1677.  He  might  be  about  thirty  or 
thirty-five  years  of  age.  There  was  nothing  prepossessing 
in  his  personal  appearance.  He  was  in  «tature,  rather 
small ;  but  was  possessed  of  great  muscular  strength.  His 
form  could  not  be  pronounced  handsome.  His  arms  were 
too  long  in  proportion  to  his  lower  extremites.  His  ser 
vice  and  exposures  abroad,  had  rendered  his  complexion 
extremely  dark  and  swarthy.  His  face  was  an  index  of 
his  mind: — cautious,  cunning,  and  distrustful,  he  viewed 
those  about  him,  as  enemies,  until  he  found  them  friends. 
Conscious  of  being  hated  by  the  multitude,  as  well  on  ac 
count  of  the  name  and  memory  of  Montrose  ;  as  on  account 
of  his  own  early  indications  of  unamiable  traits  of  charac 
ter, — he  was  suspicious  of  those  who  approached  him;  and 
restless  and  unhappy  when  alone.  In  his  manners  he  was 
harsh,  impatient,  revengeful.  In  politics,  so  far  as  his 
manner  of  life  had  allowed  him  to  look  into  that  science, 
he  was  a  thorough  disciple  of  Machiavelism.  Individual 
rights,  and  the  privileges  of  the  subject,  he  utterly  contemn 
ed.  Pleas  for  liberty  he  laughed  to  scorn,  as  the  cantings 
of  unsuccessful  hypocrites.  Measuring  other  men  by  his 
own  feelings,  he  considered  patriotism,  as  a  word  invented 
to  impose  on  fools.  Self-interest  and  love  of  glory,  (to 
which  he  was  passionately  devoted,)  were  judged  by  him 
the  only  motives  which  guided  every  man's  actions.  Long 
accustomed  to  desperate  enterprises,  in  foreign  service, 
and  habituated  to  deeds  of  cruelty,  and  cold-blooded  murders 
in  the  fields  of  Scotland,  there  was  a  wildness  and  ferocity 
in  his  looks.  The  hand  of  God  which  writes  legible  cha 
racters  on  the  faces  of  remarkable  knaves  and  villains,  had 
denied  to  his  features  every  line  of  beauty  and  regularity, 
either  male  or  female.  Nay,  it  had  set  down  the  prominent 
marks  of  what  was,  every  way,  the  reverse.  And,  his 
course  of  life  had  improved  the  wrong  way,  on  the  natural 
deformity  of  his  face,  to  a  fearful  degree.  The  strong  and 
uniform  exercises  of  his  vigorous  mind  had  made  his  face 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.          167 

a  tolerably  exact  index  of  it.  There  was  no  lighting  up  of 
sprightliness  therein.  He  was  an  entire  stranger  to  that 
delicacy  and  refinement  of  soul,  which  can  light  up  the 
face  with  the  charms  of  moral  beauty.  He  had  the  iron 
soul  of  the  soldado.  His  countenance  was  naturally 
gloomy  and  down-cast.  And  when  his  soul  was  kindled  into 
fury,  his  countenance  darted  terror  into  the  hearts  of  even 
his  own  military  executioners.  His  face  was  rather  long 
than  oval,  by  reason  of  his  cheeks  being  straight  and 
lank.  His  eye-brows  were  heavy,  and  of  a  singular 
shape.  They  were  thrown  up  at  their  outer  extremities, 
and  drawn  downward  at  their  junction,  where  they  were 
gathered  into  a  kind  of  knot.  His  eyes  were  grey,  small, 
hollow,  and  restless.  They  had  not  the  fire  of  vivacity ; 
nor  yet  the  lustre  of  genius,  as  some  have  fabulously  sung. 
His  nose  was  straight,  raised  in  the  middle  though  not 
romari,  and  not  deformed.  His  chin  was  long : — and  it 
was  surmounted  by  a  mouth  of  an  extraordinary  shape. 
It  was  large,  from  the  circumstance  of  its  extreme  angles 
being  drawn  downward  and  backward,  precisely  as  we  see 
on  certain  faces  of  men  who  have  long  been  in  the  habit 
of  intense  application  to  deeds,  cruel,  and  revolting  to  hu 
man  nature.  His  teeth  were  large  and  irregular.  His 
upper  lip  was  short,  and  gently  curved:  and  his  upper 
teeth  projected  over  his  under  lip.  As  if  he  had  made 
Julian  Apostate  his  model,  he  had,  in  someway,  wrought 
his  mouth  and  features  into  the  shape  and  configuration 
of  that  emperor's  striking  face,  as  seen  on  ancient  coins. 

His  manners,  as  may  well  be  conceived,  were  by  no 
means,  those  of  an  accomplished  gentleman.  He  had  never 
had  the  opportunity  of  mingling  with  the  noble  and  the 
gay ;  or  the  learned  and  polished.  In  the  French  service 
his  rank  was  not  high  enough  to  entitle  him  to  this  privi 
lege.  His  comrades  and  associates  were,  in  fact,  those 
foreign  adventurers ;  those  soldados  from  various  nations, 
who  sell  themselves  to  the  best  bidder ;  that  is  to  say, — 
of  the  highest  wages,  and  the  best  rations  :  desperate  men; 
living  literally  by  their  swords :  ready  for  any  enterprise, 
or  desperate  daring ;  without  consciences ;  moving  me 
chanically  in  the  execution  of  the  laudable,  or  damning 
orders  of  their  masters  and  hirers :  and  who  gravely  try 
to  kill  as  many  of  the  species  as  they  can  reach, — who  ne- 

VOL.  i. — o. 


158  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

ver  did  them  the  least  injury ;  and  who  kill  the  individuals 
brought  within  their  range,  merely  because  their  hirers 
call  them  enemies ;  and  pay  them  to  kill  them!  Wine, 
and  loose  company  occupy  their  hours,  spared  from  kill 
ing;  or  from  learning  the  art  of  killing  men.  And  the 
anticipations  of  battles,  and  of  plunder,  engross  the  chief 
part  of  their  barbarous  communion  and  conversation  with 
each  other. 

Hence,  it  was  not  true, — and  it  was  not  possible,  in  the 
nature  of  things,  to  be  true — that  Claverse  could  have  these 
accomplishments  of  mind,  or  these  polished  manners,  with 
which  he  has  been  glorified  in  romance.  It  sets  all  para 
doxes  and  absurdities  at  defiance,  when  they  hold  up  this 
butcher  of  the  unarmed  peasantry, — this  ferocious  foreign 
trained  soldado,  as  an  amiable  and  pretty  lady's  man, 
Heaven  save  the  mark !  Every  lady's  heart,  of  Scotland, 
revolts  at  this  imputation :  and  pronounces  it  false  and 
libellous  on  nature!  And  the  public  mind  of  Scotland, 
shrewd  in  forming  an  estimate  on  matters  of  this  kind ;  and 
accurate,  and  faithful  in  transmitting  it,  has  long  been 
plainly  told — and  is  still  plainly  told  of  Claverse.  It  can 
not  be  mistaken  by  us  in  its  sentence.  And  the  national 
sentence  is  not  wrong.  All  the  efforts  of  her  poets,  and 
some  of  her  historians,  and  the  magic  influence  of  her  en 
chanting  romancers  notwithstanding, — Scotland  has  lifted 
her  awful  voice,  and  has  pronounced  his  memory  damned 
to  everlasting  infamy :  and  all  the  water  of  her  blue  lakes, 
and  all  the  salt  floods  which  flow  around  her  shores,  can 
not  wash  away  the  guilt  of  Claverse  and  the  persecutors, 
who  shed  the  blood  of  her  Christian  patriots  ! 

And  it  is  well  known  that  the  descendants  of  the  suffer 
ers,  not  to  mention  many  of  the  more  enlightened  class  of 
the  Tories,  have  exalted  Claverse  to  the  rank  of  companion 
ship,  and  high  rivalship  with  a  personage  of  no  ordinary 
class.  There  is  a  well  known  proverb  current  over 
Scotland,  among  the  children  of  the  Martyrs,  and  their 
associates,  who  bless  their  sweet  memory ;  and  deck  their 
sepulchral  monuments.  This  proverb  records  this  unenvi- 
ed  honour,  from  one  generation  to  another.  When  Scot 
land  speaks  of  some  awful  and  gruesome  being — some 
terrible  mischief-making  agent,  she  exclaims — "  IT  MAUX 

BE  THE  HEEL,  OR  CLAVERSE  ! 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  159 

It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  therefore,  that  the  name,  and 
the  approach  of  Cla verse  struck  terror  into  this  meeting. 
Through  the  overspreading  boughs  of  the  trees,  under 
which  they  sat,  they  preceived,  at  a  distance,  the  military 
party  approaching.  It  was  an  affecting  contrast  to  every 
thing  around  them,  on  which  the  eye  suddenly  glanced, 
and  on  which  the  soul  spent  a  thought  as  rapidly  as  the 
lightning's  wing.  There  were  on  the  one  side  the  lovely 
scenes  of  spring,  the  green  meadow,  and  its  yellow 
gowans ;  the  green  trees,  the  unmoved  and  merry  song 
sters  which  carolled  it  on  the  branches,  and  poured  their 
wild  music  through  the  groves ;  the  beautiful  and  in 
teresting  group  of  human  beings  ;  the  love  and  harmony 
of  the  assembly  of  Covenanters;  the  solemn  worship  of 
God,  the  deliberations  on  the  salvation  of  their  Country. 
On  the  other  side,  in  the  distant  perspective,  there  was  the 
military  display,  the  brilliant  colours,  the  waving  plumes, 
the  glancing  armour,  the  furious  horse,  and  his  still  more 
furious  rider,  urging  on  to  the  deeds  of  destruction. 

The  first  concern  of  the  men,  and  the  gallant  youth,  was 
to  secure  the  safety  of  the  females ;  and  next  of  the  Pas 
tors.  Amid  the  tumult  and  shrieking  which  arose  on  all 
sides,  when  the  bugle  note  rung  through  the  forest,  as  the 
party  perceived  the  Conventicle,  the  ladies  stood  calm 
and  collected  for  a  moment.  But,  when  the  name  of 
Claverse  passed  from  sentinel  to  sentinel,  and  sounded  on 
their  ears,  they  shuddered,  and  pressed  their  daughters 
to  their  bosoms.  The  revolting  deeds  of  violence,  with 
which  Galloway  and  Clydesdale  rung,  had  damned 
Claverse  in  the  opinion  of  every  virtuous  female. 

The  business  of  retreat  was  accomplished  with  great 
promptitude,  and  success.  The  dense  underwood  along 
the  braes  facilitated  the  escape  of  the  great  body  of  the 
people.  They  had  marvellously  disappeared  in  a  few 
moments.  Claverse  halted  at  the  outer  skirt  of  the  wood, 
and  sent  a  few  of  his  men  to  reconnoitre.  He  also  detached 
a  small  party  round,  in  the  course  into  which  he  perceived 
a  multitude  of  the  people  retreating.  In  the  confusion 
which  this  created,  it  unfortunately  happened  that  his 
dragoons  seized  a  few  of  the  most  respectable  people ;  and 
carried  them  off",  notwithstanding  every  effort  to  rescue 
them.  Among  these  were  Lady  Torwoodlee,  Lady 


160  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

Galashiels ;  Lady  Newton  ;  also  Laird  Ashiestiel  and  his 
lady ;  Lady  Fernylie,  and  the  Honourable  Mrs.  Pringle, 
(a  relation  of  Torwoodlee)  and  her  beautiful  daughter  Miss 
Pringle.* 

But  the  objects  of  peculiar  attraction,  on  the  part  of  ouf 
gallant  youth,  were  Helen  Wardlaw,  Mary  Stewart,  Anna 
Burleign  Stewart ;  and  especially  James  Stewart,  the  heir 
of  Sir  James  Stewart, — and  his  bride,  Euphemia  Maxwell, 
the  beautiful  daughter  of  the  Knight  of  Netherpolloch, — 
who  had,  this  morning,  been  united  in  marriage,  in  the 
midst  of  the  happy  family  circle  of  Carlsness,  after  a  long 
and  painful  absence,  on  the  part  of  Sir  James,  in  Holland, 
into  which  the  persecution  had  driven  him.  Around  these, 
the  choice  of  the  youth  crowded, — Annandale,  Semple, 
Mauchlin,  and  the  gallant  youth  Kardross  collected  all 
their  dependants,  and  servants  on  the  spot,  and  presented  a 
firm  phalanx  to  the  rapidly  approaching  enemy. 

They  succeeded  in  conducting  the  Ladies  in  safety  into 
the  Castle.  A  band  of  the  most  resolute  young  men  Avere 
drawn  up  in  front  of  the  house  ;  and  good  marksmen  were 
stationed  at  each  of  the  windows  below  and  above.  Claverse 
made  an  attack  on  them,  again  and  again,  both  in  front 
and  in  rear  of  the  Castle.  But  he  was  repulsed  with  loss, 
by  the  well-directed  fire  from  the  windows,  and  from  the 
guard  in  front. 

While  Claverse  was  thus  employed  in  attempting  to, 
carry  the  Baronet's  house,  Sir  James  Stewart,  the  younger, 
made  an  attempt  to  escape  with  his  bride. 

He  had  succeeded  in  reaching  a  clump  of  young  trees 
in  the  rear  of  the  Castle, — and  there,  with  a  few  trusty 
servants,  he  had  got  his  bride  mounted  on  a  gallant  grey 
charger, — and  himself  mounted  by  her  side,  they  set  out 
at  full  speed  down  the  lawn,  towards  the  woods  which 
skirted  the  meadows.  Unfortunately  Claverse  perceived 
them,  and  gave  instant  chase  with  a  select  party  of  his 
life  guards.  The  loud  bugle  note  rang  back  from  the 
greenwood,  while  each  party  with  whip  and  rowel  urged 
their  gallant  steeds  into  furious  chase.  Never  was  the  red! 
deer  so  hotly  chased  along  the  Highland  mountain,  or  the 

*  This  is  no  fiction :  it  belongs  to  the  history  of  this  period. 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  161 

Lowland  vale, — as  was  the  party  of  bonny  Phemy  Maxwell 
on  her  wedding  day  ! 

But  Sir  James  Stewart  had  formed  his  plans  in  the  best 
style.  It  is  no  easy  task  to  out-general  an  Embro  law 
yer, — especially  when  he  has  so  much  at  stake  as  our  hero 
had.  Just  as  Claverse  gave  the  signal  to  pursue  the  wed 
ding  party,  Sir  Robert  Hamilton,  and  Master  James  with  a 
few  young  Countrymen,  well  mounted — on  the  one  side : 
and  the  young  noblemen  on  the  other,  set  out  from  the 
right  and  left  of  the  Castle,  and  directed  their  force  on  the 
right  and  left  of  Claverse. 

The  party  of  life  guards  led  by  Claverse,  was  fast  ap-. 
preaching  Sir  James  and  his  bride.  Their  escape  seemed 
hopeless.  A  bullet  from  the  brass  pistol  of  Claverse,  struck 
the  grey  steed  which  carried  the  bride.  The  gallant  beast 
pranced,  and  wheeled  round,  the  bride  kept  her  saddle  with 
the  greatest  presence  of  mind,  and  good  horsemanship. 
But  the  horse  reeled,  and  fell  with  her.  Sir  James  threw 
himself  from  his  horse,  and  sprang  to  her  relief.  Heedless 
of  his  own  danger,  he  had  raised  his  bride  from  the  horse's 
feet,  and  was  pressing  her  to  his  heart, — while  he  cast  a 
look  of  despair  on  her, — not  knowing  whether  the  bullet 
of  Claverse,  had  struck  her.  In  a  moment  his  sweetest 
hopes  began  to  vanish.  And  that  courage,  which  in  his 
own  individual  case,  would  have  risen  up  in  despair, — and 
have  hurried  him  like  a  lion  into  the  midst  of  the  combat, 
was  dissipated  in  a  moment, — as  he  turned  his  eye  of  des 
pair  on  his  fallen  bride ; — and  the  enemy  already  upon  him. 
A  look,  and  a  smile  from  his  bride,  in  that  awful  moment 
soon  told  him  that  she  was  not  wounded.  He  threw  him 
self  in  a  bending  position  over  her,  to  receive  the  death 
stroke ;  and  shield  his  beloved  ; — being  content  if  he  could 
only  purchase  her  life,  at  the  expense  of  his  own ! 

At  this  critical  moment, — like  their  guardian  angels — 
Sir  Robert  with  the  laird  of  Torfoot,  and  Master  James,  on 
the  one  side,  and  the  young  noblemen,  with  their  friends 
on  the  other,  reached  the  party  of  Claverse ;  and  made  a 
furious  dash  at  them,  from  opposite  sides.  Several  troops  of 
Claverse  were  prostrated  in  his  rear ;  and  tumbled  head 
long  from  their  saddles.  Sir  Robert  rushed  forward  upon 
Claverse  himself.  A  well-aimed  blow  at  the  proud  neck  of 
his  gallant  horse  disabled  him :  He  fell ;  and  Claverse  was 
o  * 


162  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

thrown  to  the  ground.  And  had  he  been  the  object  of  Sir 
Robert's  attention,  at  this  moment,  the  world  might  never 
have  been  pained  and  disgusted  with  the  bloody  raids,  in 
flicted  afterwards  on  Clydesdale  and  Galloway.  But  the 
soul  of  our  hero  was  absorbed  with  the  danger  and  the  de 
liverance  of  Sir  James  and  his  blooming  bride.  Indeed,  so 
completely  was  his  mind  engrossed  with  the  rescue  of  the 
wedded  pair,  that  he  was  scarcely  conscious  of  the  condition, 
or  even  the  presence  of  Claverse. 

The  associates  of  Sir  Robert  rushed,  pell  mell,  on  the 
military  chieftain.  Some  of  them,  unhorsed  like  himself, 
met  him  face  to  face,  and  sword  in  hand.  But  his  gallant 
troopers  fell  on  them  with  an  irresistible  force,  and  suc 
ceeded  in  extricating  their  colonel  from  the  hands  of  Sem- 
ple  and  Annandale.  The  gallant  youth  fought,  for  a  brief 
space,  with  great  courage.  But  superior  numbers,  as  well 
as  military  skill,  drove  them  back. 

It  was  during  the  interval  of  this  close  conflict,  that  Sir 
Robert  had,  in  a  lucky  moment,  drawn  off  Sir  James  Stew 
art  and  his  beautiful  bride,  into  the  adjacent  thicket,  and  had 
mounted  them  on  his  own  black  steed.  And  he  saw,  with 
delight,  the  noble  animal,  with  the  fleetness  of  an  arrow, 
bear  his  double  charge,  across  the  meadow,  and  over  the 
plain,  along  the  banks  of  the  Clyde,  into  the  high-way. 
Then,  as  if  conscious  of  his  own  strength,  as  he  felt  his 
hoofs  on  the  well-beaten  pathway,  the  gallant  St.  Andrew, 
redoubled  his  speed,  and  bore  the  happy  pair  in  triumph 
far  beyond  the  reach  of  danger. 

Sir  Robert  now  hurried  back  from  the  thicket  whence 
he  had  despatched  his  interesting  charge,  and  rallied  his  re 
treating  friends  with  a  loud  cheering  shout.  And  throw 
ing  himself  on  the  stray  horse  of  Sir  James  Stewart,  which 
one  of  his  attendants  had  secured  for  him,  he  rushed  for 
ward  upon  Claverse's  party.  Several  of  the  dragoons  fell 
beneath  the  sword  of  his  associates,  but  Claverse,  mounted 
on  a  fresh  horse,  retreated;  and  summoned  his  party  to 
fell  back  on  the  main  body  of  his  troops.  They  lost  no 
time  in  pursuing  him.  But  they  reached  the  house  only 
in  time  to  see  the  whole  party  march  off,  with  their  pri 
soners.  They  found  none  of  their  associates  in  sufficient 
strength  to  attempt  a  rescue.  It  was  to  no  purpose  they 
summoned  aid  from  the  castle ;  the  bugle  note,  in  vain, 


OR,  THK  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.         163 

sounded  loudly  to  arms,  through  the  adjacent  woods.  Their 
friends  had  all  been  dispersed.  And  those  within  the  cas* 
tie  were  well  satisfied,  with  having  succeeded  in  saving  the 
castle,  and  the  inmates  thereof. 

Claverse,  mistaking  those  notes  for  the  signal  to  a  fresh 
rencountre,  moved  off  in  quick  march,  and  in  good  order, 
being  content  with  the  trophies,  which  he  had  secured,  of 
a  dear-bought  victory. 

The  family  of  Carlsness  and  their  friends  having  been 
put  into  a  state  of  security,  Burleigh  and  Torfoot  escorted 
Bailey  Wardlaw  and  the  fair  Helen  Wardlaw  safely  to 
Glasgow.  And  Sir  Robert  Hamilton  with  the  Lords  Mauch- 
lin,  Semple,  and  Annandale,  set  out  on  the  footsteps  of  Sir 
James  Stewart,  anxious  to  learn  the  fate  of  the  gallant  young 
knight  and  his  bonny  bride.  They  traced  them  through 
Hamilton  and  the  neighbouring  villages,  to  Netherpollock. 
There  they  found  them  in  the  bosom  of  their  friends,  and. 
were  in  good  season  to  share  the  nuptial  entertainment,  en 
hanced  by  the  presence  and  hospitable  welcome  of  the  good 
old  knight  and  his  lady. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

"Bleed,  bleed,  poor  country ! 
Great  tyranny,  lay  thou  thy  basis  sure  ; 
For  goodness  dares  not  check  thee !  Wear  thou  thy  wrongs. 
Thy  title  is  affeered ! — Fare  thee  well,  lord, 
I  would  not  be  the  villian  that  thou  think'st 
For  the  whole  space  that's  in  the  tyrant's  grasp, 
And  the  rich  East  to  boot !" — SHAKESPEARE'S  MACBETH. 

We  return  now  to  Claverse  and  his  prisoners.  That 
military  chieftain,  looking  frequently  behind  him,  like  one 
apprehensive  of  a  pursuit,  and  a  rescue,  urged  forward  his 
prisoners  with  unremitting  activity. 

"  Look,  soldiers,  to  your  carabines,"  cried  he,  "  see  that 
ye  have  them  in  prime  order.  And,  hear  me,  fellows,  for 
by  the  soul  of  Montrose,  I  swear  it  shall  be  done,  if  the 
whiggamores  come  to  a  rescue,  your  first  business  shall  be, 
hark  ye,  to  hew  dpon  ilka  soul,  and  mither's  son  o'  the  pri- 


164  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

soners,  man  and  woman,  by  Hades.     And  ye'll  reserve  yer 
fire  for  the  fanatics  who  may  assail  us." 

The  females  shrieked  and  looked  around  them.  And 
an  involuntary  exclamation  of  horror  burst  from  a  young 
man,  who  rode  near  Claverse,  muffled  up  in  a  large  cloak, 
with  a  slouched  hat  and  plume. 

"  What  gear  hae  we  got  here,"  cried  Col.  Graham  as 
he  bent  on  the  youth  his  keen  eyes,  "  Parbleu !  Ha !  Mor- 
bleu !  Il-y-est,  par  St.  Louis  !  No.  It  cannct  be,  though — 
I  must  be  deceived.  The  deevil  cannot  be  turned  precisian." 
He  added,  in  a  low  mutter,  to  himself. 

"  I  believe  you  know  me,  Colonel  Graham,"  said  the 
youth  with  perfect  sang-froid,  as  he  turned  his  face  on  the 
officer  of  the  guards.  "  On  a  visit  to  Sir  James— he  has  a 
fine  daughter — caught  in  your  sweeping  net.  Ouis,  ouis, 
Colonel,  that's  all."  And  he  began  to  hum  the  butt  end  of 
an  old  Scotch  song. 

"  So,  so,  hum,  parbleu !  by  the  beard  of  St.  Nicholas !  In 
the  name  o'  the  deel  is  this  you,  young  Perth? 

"  Even  so,  Colonel,  the  son  of  my  father,  who  greets  you 
richt  weel,  Colonel  Graham." 

"  And  so,  sir,  que  le  diable !  parbleu  !  sir,  is  it  befitting, 
sir,  the  son  o'  yer  noble  faither,  to  be  found,  sir,  at  a  daum- 
ed  conventicle!" 

"Sir,  I  am  a  free-born  Scotchman,  and  so,  sir,  let  me  e'en 
whisper  in  yer  lug  a  halsam  secret.  The  blood  o'  the  aun- 
cient  nobles  o'  Scotland  is  in  my  young  veins.  And  I  win- 
na  be  catechised  by  men  o'  steel  and  burl!  I  was  where  I 
was,  wi'  the  gude  leave  o'  Perth,  I  and  my  youthful  tutor 
here.  I  am  bound  for  Embro,  Colonel.  Pleasureth  it  yer 
high  mightiness  to  travel  in  my  company?  Your  prisoner ! 
Do  not  tak  on  at  that  rate,  Colonel,  or  I  shall  hae  ye  report 
ed  afore  the  Cooncil,  as  one  wha  has  run  red  wud  mad. 
Yer  actions,  colonel,  wull  unjiauld  the  belief.  There  is 
mae  than  I,  or  they  o'  my  retinue,"  added  the  youth  as  he 
looked  over  the  party  of  prisoners,"  wha  fairly  believe  ye 
mair  fit  for  bedlam  than  for  runnin'  loose  ower  Scotland, 
haggin'  and  hashin'  doon  honest  folks,  mair  decent  and  un 
speakably  better  behaved  than  yersel.  Ae  word  mair  and 
then,  I  sail  let  ye  till't,  for  I  see  ye' re  lik  to  burst.  No  ae 
lady  shall  be  insulted  afore  my  een.  The  blood  o'  a  Drum- 
mond  beats  in  my  arteries.  And,  by  heaven !  ye  ken-  what 
that  says,  colonel. 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.          165 

Col.  Graham's  face  at  first  burnt  with  indignation.  The 
blood  which  mounted  up  sent  a  red  hue  over  his  dark  fea 
tures,  and  it  seemed  for  a  few  moments  like  the  copper  co 
lour  of  an  Indian.  His  eyes  shot  fire  and  wrath.  He  bit 
his  lip,  and  his  right  hand  was  already  on  the  hilt  of  his 
sword.  But  he  restrained  his  feelings  and  was  silent.  He 
was  evidently  measuring  his  reply.  For  he  feared,  as  in 
deed,  he  had  reason  to  fear,  old  Perth,  the  father. 

Drummond  observed  his  confusion,  and  went  on — "  And 
so,  worthy  Colonel,  we  here,  that  is  to  say,  Lady  Torwood- 
lee  here,  and  Lady  Galashiels,  and  Lady  Newton,  and  Lady 
Ashiestiel,  and  her  caro  sposa,  and  Lady  Fernylie,  and 
the  honourable  Mrs.  Pringle  and  her  beautiful  daughter,  and 
I,  the  son  of  my  father,  and  Master  James  there,  are  a'  to 
be  slaughtered,  by  the  gallant  Colonel  Graham,  and  his 
douce  lambs  there,  if  the  vvhiggamores  should  happen  to 
tauk  it  intil  their  noddles  to  show  themsels  in  strength,  on 
the  moors,  a  thing  by  nae  means  unfeasible. 

"  I  beg  pardon,  Lady  Torvvoodlee,  Lady  Galashiels,  I 
present  the  gallant  Colonel  Graham  to  you." 

The  ladies  nodded  to  him  from  their  palfreys.  And 
Claverse  raising  himself  upon  his  huge  military  saddle, 
made  a  haughty  nod  of  recognition,  as  he  touched  his  hat 
with  his  bufT  gauntlet,  spotted  with  recent  blood, 

"  I  hae  had  the  honour  o'  meetin'  the  gentleman,  mair 
than  aince,  I  believe,"  said  Lady  Torwoodlee.  And  she 
threw  on  him  her  dark  eyes,  flashing  irrepressible  indigna 
tion.  Lady  Galashiels  smiled,  Claverse  bit  his  lip,  and  co 
loured. 

After  a  pause  of  a  few  moments,  Claverse  replied,  and 
not  so  much  to  her  words,  as  to  her  looks  of  reproach. 

"  It's  the  wull  o'  his  maist  sacred  majesty  that  this  wark 
be  dune.  And  unworthy  as  I  am,  while  I  hae  the  honour 
o'  bearin,  a  commission,  I  must  e'en  sacrifice  my  feelings 
to  the  duty  whilk  I  owe  my  maist  gracious  sovereign.  Nay, 
smile  not.  Par  le  diable !  I'm  as  serious,  as  I  am  ortho 
dox.  What  hae  thae  deels  o'  bodies,  the  subjects,  whilk 
is  to  say  the  slaves  of  his  maist  sacred  majesty,  to  do  but  to 
receive  on  their  knees,  his  maist  gracious  majesty's  dicta- 
tings  on  a'  points,  temporal  and  spiritual  ?  They  owe  him 
eternal  gratitude  that  he  should  spare  sae  meikle  time,  frae 
his  horses  and  hounds,  as  t6  prescribe  a  form  o'  religion  to 


166  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND! 

them,  or  the  like  o'  them !  due  le  diable !  What  rieht  hae 
they  to  think  for  themsels  ? 

"Why,  madam!"  continued  he  in  reply  to  the  lady's 
look  of  unutterable  contempt,  "  Parbleu !  are  their  souls 
mair  precious  than  the  soul  o'  his  maist  sacred  majesty,  or 
mine?  Pu !  hu!  if  we  hae  any  souls  at  a',  their's  areas 
meikle  inferior  to  oor's,  as  the  vile  moss  hagg  puddle  o' 
blude  that  creeps  through  their  veins,  is  inferior  to  the  blude 
o'  majesty  and  nobility !  Has  na  his  maist  sacred  majesty, 
wat  ye,  by  virtue  o'  his  divine  ricTit,  a'  power  to  dictate  to 
the  souls  o'  sic  dogs,  e'en  as  I  hae  a  richt  to  dictate  to  my 
blackguards  there,  or  to  the  dogs  o'  my  kennel  ?" 

"  Praise  be  blessed !"  cried  Lady  Torwoodlee,  "for  the 
wonderful  improvement  in  the  mode  o'  governing  that  has 
come  in  wi'  the  Stuart  family,  heaven  bless  them  !  The 
cares  o1  State  are  a  mere  trifle  to  his  maist  sacred  Majesty, 
and  sae  are  military  cares  to  our  adored  and  gallant  sol 
diers.  They  can  spare  us  time  to  tak  the  cure  o'  oor  souls. 
The  King  and  Col.  Graham  are,  mairover,  become  sic 
sagacious  casuists,,  and  sae  condescending  in  their  apostoli 
cal  piety,  that  they  spare  nae  paius  and  nae  means,  military 
and  prelatic,  to  bring  us  back  frae  a1  oor  wanderings,  and  to 
wyseus,  in  by  thae  meek  and  gentle  guides,  to  wit — Colonel 
Graham  and  his  military  ruling  elders :  they  reclaim  us 
frae  oor  wilfu'  errors,  and  wyse  us,  puir  wandering  sheep, 
by  the  haly  slap*  o'  prelatism,  into  the  true  fauld  !  And 
praise  be  blessed ;  sae  effectually  earnest  is  the  royal  and 
military  care  ower  sic  wilfu'  craters,  that  they  graciously 
compel  us  by  cauld  steel !  Blessings  on  their  bowels  o' 
mercy  and  compassion  !  Should  we  yet  still  be  wilfu'  and 
wander  by  the  puddled  waters  o'  presbytery,  they  break 
oor  necks  and  hang  us  up.  For  surely  it  is  better  to  kill 
us,  than  to  leave  us  to  wander  frae  the  green  faulds  o'  di 
vine  prelatism  !  Lang  life,  and  a  wally  share  o'  grace  to 
them  whae  are  sae  zealous  for  oor  saul's  safety.  And,  hech, 
sirs,  if  the  spiritually -minded  Charles  II.,  and  his  apostolic 
worthy  of  his  host,  to  wit, — Col.  Graham,  should  gang 
aff  untimeously,  by  some  wicked  wing's  bullet, — in  grace's 
name  wha  wad  bestow  on  us  sic  spiritual  and  military 
labours  to  guide  us  to  the  gate  o'  prelatism,  the  only  safe 
way  to  heaven  ? 

*Anglice,  the  gate,  or  wide  entrance  into  the  sheep-fold. 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.          167 

Claverse  looked  earnestly  on  Lady  Torwoodlee,  but  she 
was  too  grave  to  betray  herself  under  this  burst  of  satire. 

"  Parbleu,  ma  chere  Madame !  Mon  Dieu  !  Lady,"  cried 
he,  "  ye  tak  on  ower  seriously !  Ye  utterly  mistake  me," 
he  added,  as  he  could  perceive  no  trace  of  a  smile  of  ridi 
cule  on  her  countenance,  "  the  King,  my  maist  gracious 
sovereign,  while  he  exercises  his  absolute  authority  and  su 
premacy  by  divine  rickt,  derived  frae  King  Henry  VIII, 
o'  blessed  memory,  ower  the  bodies,  souls,  and  consciences 
o'  his  subjects,  disna  place  the  value  o'  a  hilt  tassel  on  yer 
souls  and  their  salvation.  He  disna  compel  ye  intil  heav 
en  !  Ha,  ha,  ha  !  Why,  cod's  fish !  the  anointed  o'  the 
Lord  disna  compel  himsel  or  me ;  nor  does  he  wyse  ye 
that  airt,  Lard  pity  ye'r  weakness !  Why  he  simply 
wants  the  power  and  supremacy,  in  a'  things.  Noo,  La 
dy,  if  yer  Whiggery  will  let  you  open  yer  ears  to  coort  or 
thodoxy,  here  it  is,— only  confess  my  maist  gracious  sove 
reign  king  and  head  o'  the  church,  and  sole  lord  o'  yer 
conscience ;  and  he'll  let  you  stand  neutral  as  it  regards 
a'  invisible  powers,  and  the  contendin'  parties  o'  heaven 
and  hell ;  neutral  ye  may  remain,  as  it  were,  atween 
Christ  and  the  deevil !  Only  if  there  be  ony  wee  diffe 
rence  o'  inclination,  its  the  safer  doctrine,  by  oor  courtly 
standard,  just  to  incline  a  wee  bit  to  the  latter !  For  by  the 
soul  o'  Montrose,  we  hae  ay  found  the  men  who  inclined 
to  Christ  and  his  cause,  to  be  Whigs,  just  as  sure  as  a  gun  ! 
And  it  is  just  aboot  as  impossible  to  mak  yer  Whig  Chris 
tian  leal  to  oor  maist  gracious  sovereign,  as  it  wad  be  to 
mak  the  lord  paramount  o'  the  bottomless  pit  a  douce  and 
quiet  citizen !  But  them  we  find  gude  and  leal  subjects, 
wha  swear  and  bouse,  and  ban  the  covenants^ — even 
though  they  also  send  the  priest,  curates,  church  and  a',  to 
Sathan,  ten  times  a  day  !  Noo,  hear  me  a  bit  mair, — for 
laird,  it's  maist  practical  doctrine,  because  if  ye  be  converted 
to  oor  way  o'  thinking  it  may  save  you, — from  being 
hanged. 

"  If  ye  tak  up  ony  religion  at  a' — its  true  ye  can  be  just 
as  weel  without  it,  as  my  maist  gracious  sovereign  tells  us 
in  a  roar  o'  merriment,  ower  his  cups,  ilka  day, — but  if  ye 
tak  up  ony  ane,  ye  maun  ken  that  he  wull  let  you  be 
saved,  only  through  the  yett  o'  prelacy.  That's  the  only 
gentlemanly  way  o'  being  religious.  Not  that  I  wad 


168  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  I 

insinuate  that  this  is  the  better,  or  the  best.  But  simply, 
my  lady,  because  the  King,  my  maist  sacred  and  gracious 
master,  has,  by  his  divine  richt  and  supremacy,  deigned 
to  proclaim  it  to  be  the  only  way  o'  salvation,  to  ilka  soul 
and  mither's  son  o'  ye,  and  a'  his  subjects !" 

"Blessings  on  ye,  oor  spiritual  and  military  reformer!" 
cried  Lady  Torwoodlee,  "  Ye  hae  been  drinkin'  deeply  in 
at  the  sacred  fountain  o'  ghostly  lair :  ye  maun  hae  been 
fructifying  maist  edifyingly  under  the  dew  and  droppings  o' 
gude  and  godly  James  Sharp,  the  holy  primate  o'  a1  Scot 
land.  Yer  spiritual  conceivings  and  godly  talk  are  as  like 
ane  anither's,  as  twa  peas  ! 

"  And,  pray,"  continued  the  lady,  "  should  oor  maist  sa 
cred  majesty  by  virtue  o'  his  supremacy,  pronounce  papis- 
trie  to  be  the  orthodox  religion,  wad  it  no  be  yer  duty  to 
draw  oot  yer  apostolical  and  military  powers  and  yer  black, 
guards  there,  yer  ruling  elders,  to  compel  us  into  heaven  by 
the  only  divine  yett  o'  papistrie  ?" 

"  Unquestionably,  Madam,  parbleu !  if  my  maist  gracious 
sovereign  says  it,  it's  eneugh  for  me !"  cried  Claverse. 

"  Most  devoted  footman !  admirable  slave !"  whispered 
Lady  Galashiels  to  young  Drummond. 

"  Yes,"  replied  he,  "  this  is  the  fanatic  Graham  of  Cla- 
verhouse.  The  Whigs  cant  and  are  enthusiasts  their  way. 
Claverse,  who  by  the'  way  is  a  mere  echo  o'  the  priest  rid 
den  Cooncil  o'  State,  does  cant  Ms  way,  is  a  fanatic, — 
enthusiastic  worshipper  o'  tyranny  !  The  whigs  avowedly 
and  fearlessly  place  the  crown  o1  supremacy  in  religious 
matters,  on  the  head  o'  Ane  wha  can  wear  it, — even  the 
LORD  JESUS  CHRIST.— Claverse,  with  equal  and  martial  zeal, 
places  it  on  the  head  o'  ane  in  whom  they  wha  are  nearest 
him,  canna,  wi'  e'en  the  help  o'  magnifying  glasses,  discern 
ae  genuine  virtue,  or  the  semblance  o'  decent  morals ! 
Unco  little  ken  I  on  thae  affairs,  but  a  child  may  here  dis 
cern  the  disgusting  cant,  and  the  bathos,  set  down  side  by 
side,  with  the  beautiful  and  the  sublime  !  These  are  the  men 
and  their  sentiments  which  James  Arch-bishop  Sharp  calls 
fanatics!" 

"  Yes,"  cried  the  lady,  "  and  the  sentiments  which  that 
parasite  o'  tyranny,  has  just  noo  re-echoed,  cuckoo-like, 
frae  the  priest-ridden  court  o'  Charles  II.,  canna  exist  in 
the  society  o'  Whigs.  The  spirit  o'  Sharpe,  and  of  Cla- 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.         169 

Terse  couldna  breathe,  nor  exist  in  a  Conventicle  o'  Whigs ! 
It's  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  they  hate  and  curse  the 
"  Conventicle,"  as  Sathan  hates  and  curses  a  meeting  o'  the 
angels  o1  free  and  haly  heaven  !" 

"  Yes,  yes,"  cried  young  Drummond,  "  I  hae  heard  yer 
conventicle,  and  I  daily  hear  the  communings  and  dis- 
coursings  o'  Sharpe,  Rothes,  and  Lauderdale,  at   my  fa 
ther's  table.     And  believe  ana  who  can  speak  impartially, 
— o'  a'  the  cantings  that  hae  e'er  been  canted  on  a  hill  side, 
or  in  a  moss-hagg  Conventicle,  by  the  maist  illiterate  pea 
sants  o'  the  land,  this  canting  o'  the  lordly  priests,  and  oor 
nobles  is  the  maist  degrading  and  disgusting !   They  cant 
o'  the  di tine  richt  o'  kings  !  and  the  divine  richt  o' diocesan 
bishops  !  and  absolute  submission  !  and  passive  obedience  ! 
Heaven,  save  the  mark  ! — But,  in  the  very  nature  of  things, 
the  very  sublimity  and  beauty  o'  the  Whig  ideas, — pure, 
beautiful,  sublime  religion, — the  exaltation  o'  their  Maker, 
— the  exaltation  o'  Jesus  Christ  over  all  tyrants,  and  over 
all  creatures,— 4hen  there  are  man's  unalienable  rights  of 
liberty,  and  freedom  of  conscience, — in  the  very  nature  of 
things  their  sentiments  are  as   high  above  those  of  the 
Tories,  as  are  the  heavens  over  the  dirty  earth  !   But  let  us 
hear  Lady  Torvvoodlee,  who  has  taken  up  Cla verse  on  ano 
ther  point. 

"  But  in  yer  spiritual  vocation,  Col.  Graham,  o'  compel 
ling  the  lambs,  and  sheep  o'  Scotland's  mountains,  into  the 
haly  faulds  o'  prelatism,  micht  ye  not  use  some  sma'  grains 
o'  mercy  ?  There's  naething  like  illustrations  frae  living 
and  recorded  actions,  Colonel.  And  yer  ain  gallant  deeds 
wull  afford  the  materials." 

Colonel  Graham  grinned:  and  Lady  Torwoodlee  went 
on: — 

"  Puir  Jeany  Dean,  ye  ken  wha  I  mean, — has  lost  her 
twa  fingers,  by  means  o'  the  fiery  matches,  whilk  the  con 
verting  zeal  o'  Col.  Graham,  oor  lady's  accomplished  man, 
as  the  tories  humorously  ca'  ye, — did  actually  cause  to  be 
applied  to  her  hauns,  and  blawn  into  fury  by  the  breath  o' 
yer  soldiers.  The  fingers  hae  drapt  aff!" 

"Parbleu!  sacre  diable !  Madame,  she  got  her  deserv- 
ings.     She  actually  refused  to  test  her  loyalty  by  informing 
against  her  rebel  sons :  or  even  by  discovering  the  lurking 
place  o'  her  husband  !     Was  na  that  guilt  eneugh  ?" 
VOL.  i. — P. 


170  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

Lady  Torwoodlee  went  on  without  noticing  this  appropri* 
ate  barbarism  of  the  cruel  soldado.  "  Puir  Jamie  Elshender, 
round  whase  skull  Col.  Graham  twisted  the  cord,  with  his 
pistolet,  until  the  bone  cracked,  has,  since  that  run  stark  mad ! 
And  the  puir  demented  thing  ran  about  Torwoodlee  for 
mony  a  day,  howling  pitifully.  And  ilka  day  as  he  heard 
the  tramp  o'  ony  horse  foot  approaching,  he  wad  cry  oot, 
'  Oh  Lard,  ifs  Claverse  ! '  But,  noo,  he  rests  in  peace,  for 
God  took  him  to  himself. 

"And  only  twadays  by  gane,  Sir,  as  the  inoffensive  natu 
ral  puir  Daft  Rob,  wha  was  sae  cruelly  robbed  o'  his 
widow  mother,  by — Colonel,  ye  ken  wha,  at  Balernoch, — 
was  coming  doon  the  Lang  Loan,  on  ane  errand  o'  charity 
frae  his  protectress,  Helen  Wardlaw  :  and  as  he  was  ma- 
kin1  bank  and  brae  ring  wi'  his  Avild  note,  and  his  favourite 
cracked  violin,  in  which  he  coupled  his  puir  mither's  name, 
wi'  ane  execration  on  bludy  McKenzie,  and  her  murderers  ; 
Captain  Arrol,  there,  yer  meek  ruling  Elder,  passed  him 

on  horseback and  dashed  his  brains  oot  wi'  his  fera- 

ra.  And  he  didna  e'en  turn  him  aboot  to  bestow  a  leuk 
on  his  mangled  victim !  Puir  Rab  !  thoo  fellest  bewailed 
by  mony  a  gude  man,  and  by  nane  mair  than  bonny  Helen 

Wardlaw  !     But  there's  a  day  coming !" 

Claverse  bit  his  lip,  and  cast  a  look  on  Captain  Arrol, — 
who  had  heard  every  word, — but  was  busying  himself  in 
adjusting  his  plume,  and  pressing  his  steel  cap  down  on  his 
brow. 

"And  this  is  naa',"  continued  the  undaunted  lady,  and 
she  cast  on  Claverse  a  look  of  unutterable  scorn  and  dis 
gust.  "  The  wife  o7  oor  gude  and  trusty  tenant,  James 

Hislop,  «- the  '  polite  and  well-bred  lady's  man,'  Col. 

Graham,  knows  the  deed  of  villainy,  I  allude  to, — she, 
puir  young  thing,  has  died  o'  a  broken  heart, — being  torn 
away  frae  her  wee  greetin'  bairns  and  husband.  She  lies 
noo,  withering  in  the  grave  !  And  the  demented  husband 
cruelly  widowed,  by  you,  o'  his  bonny  and  faithfu'  Jeanie, 
sits  wi'  his  puir  mitherless  bairns,  on  his  knees  and  weeps, 
and  refuses  to  be  comforted  !  And,  Sir,  as  there's  justice 
in  heaven,  thae  tears  wull  be  recorded  in  the  book  o'  the 
Almighty.  My  sons  hae  decked  her  grave :  and  thae  hands 
o'  mine,  Sir,  planted  the  willow  tree  that  throws  its  weep 
ing  branches  ower  her  grave.  The  men  o'  Lothian 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.          171 

winna  forget  the  deed  sune.  Your  name  is  in  their  cups, 
Sir ;  and  its  nae  ordinary  a  toast." 

During  this  unmerciful  scourging, — the  more  severe,  in 
asmuch  as  every  word  told  truth, — Cla  verse  displayed  the 
utmost  impatience  and  fury.  At  one  time  he  would  cast 
his  eyes  around  him,  as  if  to  convince  himself  that  he  was 
not  in  the  midst  of  an  ambuscade  of  Whigs, — seeing  that 
the  lady  went  on  so  recklessly ;  at  another,  he  would  pull 
his  steel  half  way  out  of  its  scabbard:  then  he  would 
plunge  his  rowels  into  the  sides  of  the  noble  animal  which 
carried  him ;  while  it  replied  to  his  cruelty  by  prancing 
and  kicking  furiously. 

But  as  the  last  part  of  the  lady's  speech  fell  on  his  hear 
ing, — presenting,  first  a  scene  of  blackguardism,  with 
which,  for  the  honour  of  human  nature,  scarcely  even  a 
ruffian  can  bear  to  hear  his  name  coupled : — and,  then, 
throwing  out  something  more  than  a  hint  of  what  his  own 
mind  had  often  threatened,  as  the  result  of  his  bandit  life, — 
he  grasped  the  reins  of  the  lady's  horse,  and  exclaimed — 
"  By  the  saucred  heavens, — Madam, — and  the  red  hot  beard 
of  king  Sathan" — 

"  Poh !  poh !  Colonel,"  cried  the  Lady  Torwoodlee, 
laying  her  hand  on  his  arm  in  the  most  provoking  compo 
sure,  anda  confiding  air, — "  A  gallant  man  never  interrupts 
a  lady.  Come,  let  me  be  the  corypheus  of  your  praise  and 
glory." — She  went  on. 

"  And  that  widow's  son, — a  bonny  young  lad,  whom  you 
caused  to  be  shot, — as  he  ran  bickering,  and  stumbling 
frae  his  mither's  cottage, — was  nae  rebel,  Sir ;  but  as  braw 
a  dutiful  son,  and  a  loyal,  as  e'er  tended  sheep  on  Yarrow 
or  Teviot.  He  was  simply  terrified  at  your  approach.  E'en 
his  face  could  na  reproach  him  wi'  a  crime.  And  if  ilka 
bonny  lass,  and  braw  lad  wha  shudders  at  the  approach  o* 
the  gallant  Col.  Graham — be  guilty  o'  heigh  treason — 
then,  my  certie !  the  king  has  a'  oor  virtuous  youth  against 
him !  and  red  wud  guilty  o'  heigh  treason  too  are  they 
a'." 

And  let  me  refresh  your  memory  a  wee  bit  further — I 
pray  thee,  Colonel,  why  a1  this  impatience,"  continued 
Lady  T.  with  an  air  of  condescending  dignity. 

"Thae  three  unarmed  men,"  continued  she,  laying  her 
hand  on  his  buff  gauntlet,  as  she  rode  by  his  side,  "  on 


172  THE    WHIGS    OF    SCOTLAND.' 

whom  Colonel  Graham,  and  his  passing  troops  made  a 
gallant  charge,  as  they  lay  among  the  gowans  on  a  green 
brae  side,  ae  sunny  Sabbath  morning, — and  fairly  routed — 
and  slew, — \vaur  na  guilty  o'  ony  overt  act.     They  were 
na  e'en  on  yer  list  o'  rebels.     But  they  were  drinking  in 
rebellion,  howsomever — frae  a  richt  dangerous  beuk, — a 
beuk  that  breathes  death  to  tyranny,  and  the  minions  tf 
tyranny.     Ay  !  Colonel ;     They  were  reading  their  HALT 
'BiBLE ! ! — And  that  puir  ninth  part  o'  a  man — that  tailor 
lad,  when  gangin'  peaceably  to  his  honest  wark,  ae  monday 
morning — you  gallantly  charged  wi'  yer  cavalry,  and  shot 
down  in  the  field.     And  what,  in  the  name  o'  a'  that's 
,chivalrous  could  a  silly  tailor  lad  do  against  a  host  o' 
^rmed   men !     You  shot  him,    Colonel ;    then   you  tried 
him :  and  after  he  was  dead  you  condemned  him,  because 
he  was  guilty  o'  rinmn1  frae  ye — and  because  he  was,  upon 
earnest  search,  found   guilty  o'  the   treasonable   deed  o5 
having  ane  auld  broken  flint — and  a  bit  oi1  lead  in  his 
pocket !  I     Yes,  Colonel ;  they  wha  witnessed  the  exploit, 
said  it  was  a  gallant  charge,  in  true  military  style, — when 
Col.   Graham,  the  redoubted  knight,  and  his   troop  bore 
down  writh  sword  and  pistolet  on  the  solitary  tailor !  who 
was  armed  with  a  bit  o'  lead  and  a  broken  flint !  !     They 
say  the  rumour  of  the  day  noo   is,  in  the  courtly  circle, 
that  some  twa  three  sic  exploits,  achieved  against  the  un 
armed   peasantry,  prove   you  a   gallant  and  enterprising 
officer  ; — and  wull  infallibly  raise  ye  to  the  peerage  !   Ye' 11 
be  made  a  viscount,  or  a  lord  !   Lard  help  us  !  for  freeing 
the  nation  frae  deadly  skaith,  frae  shepherd  lads,  tailor 
bodies,  and  silly  naturels !" 

This  touched  Claverse  in  a  sore  part :  his  ambition  ever 
looked  to  promotion  and  nobility :  and  he  was  prepared  to 
walk  over  his  prostrate  country,  if  he  could  only  attain 
his  ambitious  views.  His  face  coloured,  and  a  glow  of 
gathering  wrath  passed  over  his  iron  countenance ;  while 
his  eyes  from  their  hollowed  sockets  glared  a  terrific  threat. 
His  fresh  meditation  of  vengeance  was  interrupted  by 
Lady  Newton,  who,  at  this  moment,  interfered ;  and  driv 
ing  up  her  gallant  grey  between  Claverhouse,  and  Lady 
Torwoodlee  ;  and  bowing  from  her  saddle,  with  one  of  the 
prettiest  smiles  imaginable,  entered  into  parlance  with  the 
Colonel. 


OR,  THE  LAST  OT  THE  STUARTS.  173- 

11  May  it  pleasure  the  gallant  Colonel  to  hear  me.  Be 
Oor  failings  what  they  may,  the  heart  o'  oor  sex  has  ne'er 
been  accused  o'  ingratitude.  We  canrta,  then,  be  backward 
in  pleasuring  the  heart  o'  the  gallant  man  wha  has  sae 
generously,  and  in  true  cavalier  style,  condescended  to 
escort  us,  wi'  sic  a  brilliant  retinue,  to  the  metropolis." 

"  There  were,  ye  maun  ken,  Sir  Cavalier,  not  far  away, 
twa  bonny  peasant  maidens.  They  were  the  rose  and  the 
lily  o'  the  Lang  Dale.  And  they  had  their  flocks ;  for  they 
were,  shepherdesses.  They  had  their  bower  on  yander 
brae  :  and  it  was  theeket  ower  wi'  rashes  :  the  neighbour 
shepherds  did  it :  for  they  were  rivals  far  and  near,  wha 
should  gain  the  smiles  o'  the  bonny  Avendale  maidens. 
Weel,  thae  twa  bonny  bairns  were  captured  at  a  Conven 
ticle.  A  certain  Colonel,  unco  far  famed  ower  a'  Scotland, 
dragged  wi'  unrelenting  fury,  the  pretty  maidens  afore  the 
Council.  He  was  aided  in  this  cavalier  and  soldierlike 
deed,  by  that  military  worthy,  Dalziel  o'  Binns,  the  knight 
o'  the  lang  pale  face,  fiery  een,  and  the  grey  fleece.  La ! 
what  a  huge  lion's  mane  the  Muscovegian  savage  hangs 
out  over  his  vile  chouks,  and  adown  to  his  girdle  ! 

"  Weel,  they  were  brocht  afore  the  haly  seat  o'  justice 
whaur  Rothes  displays  the  bowels  o'  compassion ;  and 
whaur  Geordie  McKenzie,  (wha  used  to  be '  a  lang-faced 
douce  flatterer  below  the  salt,  at  my  father's  table,)  neer 
pleads  awa'  the  lives  o'  the  martyrs !  Not  he,  but  has  & 
particular  faculty  in  his  ain  way,  o'  saving  the  Justiciary,, 
that  is  to  say,  the  Criminal  Lords,  meikle  trouble,  by  just 
fixing  first,  on  the  mainer  o'  the  pannel;s  execution ;  and 
then  by  putting  the  sentence  into  the  doomster's  lips,  and 
then,  trying  him.  Here,  in  this  pure  Court,  thae  young 
maidens  were  condemned  purely  for  their  religious  opinions ! 
Nae  conspiracy,  nae  overt  act  was  even  alleged  in  the 
ditty.  Thy  were  condemned,  because  they  wad  na'  talk 
wicked  nonsense :  and  pronounce  on  civil,  and  ecclesiasti 
cal  questions  ;  and  whine  and  cant  the  Tory's  cant  about 
absolute  supremacy;  and  the  divine  richt  of  prelates,  and  of 
truculent  tyrants !  Avhase  tender  mercy  is  cruelty  !  And', 
oh !  haly  heaven !  thae  twa  maidens  were  executed — cruelly 
executed,  at  the  cross  o'  Embro  ;  ane  o'  them  in  the  bloom 
o'  eighteen  :  the  other  twenty -two  !  Oh  !  Scotland !  Oh ! 
chivalry,  where  lurked  the  eoward  spirits  o'  thy  craven 
p* 


174  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAIttK 

shepherd  youth  then !  Or  in  that  horrid  hour  when  my 
bonny  blooming  Peggy  was  drowned,  at  a  stake,  in  roaring 
Sol  way's  tide,  by  bloody  Grierson  o'  Lagg !  and  oor  gallant 
Cavalier  Graham  here  /" 

The  fury  of  Claverse  may  be  more  easily  conceived, 
than  expressed,  at  this  startling  apostrophe.  He  was  about 
to  take  some  summary  mode  of  vengeance  on  the  lady, 
Avhen  his  attention  was  suddenly  drawn  away  by  the  call 
of  his  van  guard,  who  announced  a  village  in  view.  He 
hurried  to  the  front,  and  ordered  the  soldiers  to  close  around 
the  prisoners,  and  to  look  well  to  their  carabines ;  and 
guard  against  any  attempt  to  rescue  the  prisoners. 

Having  passed  the  village,  and  the  soldiers  having  again 
spread  themselves  out,  in  an  easy  march,  Lady  Torwoodlee 
once  more  placed  herself  close  by  Claverse,  and  began  to 
divert  him  with  some  badinage,  about  the  scenes  of  mirth 
and  festivity  at  Torwoodlee,  when  her  husband  had  entertain 
ed  Graham,  and  a  party  of  his  military  associates. 

"  But  come,  Colonel,  I  will  tell  ye  a  parable,  for  this 
long  road,  and  yer  scanty  allowance  of  time  for  refresh 
ments,  require  something  intellectual  to  beguile  ennui. 

"  Auld  Elspeth,  in  the  Cottage  at  our  meadow  foot,  saw 
a  wonderfu'  sicht  t'  other  day.  The  very  bairns  hung  on 
the  lap  o'  the  auld  heelan  body ;  and  the  neebours  sat 
them  doon,  and  laying  their  ,hauns  on  their  mouths,  they 
listened  wi'  reverence  to  her  revealings. 

"  There  lay,  far  stretched  oot  afore  her  auld  een,  a  dark 
heathery  mountain's  side.  At  the  foot  o't,  there  stood  a 
hamlet,  a  stane  biggin,  wi'  its  steep  roof  o'  green  divets.  In 
the  distant  perspective  there  was  a  deep  gap  in  the  adjoin 
ing  hill.  The  roaring  mountain  stream  poured  its  muddy 
flude  ower  the  rock.  Auld  Elspeth  screamed  as  she  saw  a 
troop  o'  furious  dragoons  gallop  doon  through  the  red  gap. 
The  heavy  volume  o'  mist  rolled  ower  the  cottage  and  the 
dark  heathery  mountain.  The  troopers  galloped  along, 
and  were  speedily  lost  in  the  mist.  A  piteous  wail  issued 
frae  the  mist.  A  comely  peasant  woman  stood  in  front  o' 
the  cottage  wTi'  a  bonny  smilin  bairn  in  her  arms,  and  twa, 
three  clung  to  her  knees.  She  looked  with  eager  and  terri 
fic  een  to  the  mountain  side,  and  raised  her  hand  to  heaven. 
Loud  wailings  mingled  wi'  peals  o'  wild  laughter,  issued 
from  the  cloud  of  mist.  It  passed  quickly  off.  The  red- 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.          176 

coated  troop  drive  afore  them  a  venerable  auld  man.  He 
is  bald  headed.  His  beard  hangs  on  his  doublet.  His  bon 
net  is  in  his  hand,  He  stands  firm  and  unmoved,  while  the 
military  chief  thrusts  awa,  \vi'  lood  oath  and  profane,  the 
weeping  wee  bairns  clinging  to  their  faither's  knees.  The 
wife  wi'  frantic  gesture  implores  the  life  o'  her  husband,  the 
faither  o'  her  helpless  bairns.  She  hands  oot  to  the  sol 
dier  the  wee,  sweet,  blue  eened  smilin'  babe.  She  Seeches, 
and  prays,  she  is  on  her  knees.  And  she  ay  points  to  her 
bairns  and  then  to  heaven.  "  O  dinna  mak  me  a  widow, 
and  thae  innocent  weans  orphans  !  What  has  my  Johnny 
eer  dune  ?  He  neer  wranged  any,- grit  or  sma' !"  The 
fierce  soldier  pushed  her  from  him.  He  gives  five  brief 
minutes  to  the  father  to  prepare  for  eternity.  Precious 
boon!  Yet  the  chieftain  breaks  in  on  the  sanctity  o'  thae 
five  minutes.  He  utters  profanity  ower  the  puir  dying 
Christian's  prayer.  He  calls  it  preachin'.  The  dying 
martyr  turns  him  round,  his  white  hairs  float  in  the  wind, 
the  tears  are  on  his  cheeks.  He  bends  on  the  soldier  his 
eyes  streaming  wi'  the  last  tears  o'  his  agony,  and  in  a  sub 
dued  tone,  like  the  tones  o'  the  peaceful  dying  martyr,  he 
breathes  the  reproof  o'  that  ignorance  whilk  disna  ken  pray- 
in'  frae  preachin1 .  The  military  chief  gravely  bans  the  dy 
ing  martyr,  and  bids  him  gang  on  then.  The  young  bairns 
kneel  doon  by  the  side  o'  their  prostrate  parents.  They 
clasp  their  wee  quiverin'  hauns,  and  leuk  wistfully  intil 
their  mither's  weepin  een,  and  sob,  and  whisper  oot, 
What  is  the  bad  man  gangin1  to  du  to  oor  faither  I  Wi' 
strugglin'  effort,  the  martyr  prays  for  the  peace  o'  his  ain 
soul,  whilk  he  was  noo  ready  to  offer  up,  and  for  all  pur 
chased  blessings  to  his  distracted  wife,  nae  mair  his  wife, 
but,  noo,  his  widow;  and  his  bairns,  nae  mair  his  bairns, 
but  helpless  orphans. 

•'  Oh !  faither  o'  the  faitherless — Oh  !  husband  o'  the 
widow,"  cried  he,  "  I  leave  my  orphans  wi'  THEE  and  my 
widow — to  hope  in  THEI:.  Thou  hast  the  bowels  o'  pity 
and  \nercy.  O  take  them  under  the  wings  o'  thy  everlast 
ing  love.  Men  hae  nae  pity  nor  mercy  !"  Wi'  the  cauld 
calculation  of  anasasssin,  vvha  counts  the  throbbings  o'  his 
victim,  and  refines  on  his  cruelty,  the  military  chieftain 
waves  his  sword,  and  bids  the  martyr  rise,  and  kiss  his  wife, 
and  then  his  wee  bairns  t  The  little  victims  in  their  young 


178  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

grief,  wept,  and  sobbed,  they  knew  not  why,  they  cast  their 
weepin'  een  frae  soldier  to  soldier,  and  ay  they  weept  mair, 
and  wondered  what  was  to  befa'  them  and  their  father ! 

The  martyr  kissed  his  sweet  wife,  and  his  weans,  and 
wet  their  faces  wi'  his  gushing  tears.  The  military  chief 
tain  covered  his  face  with  a  napkin,  ordered  him  to  kneel 
doon  in  the  presence  o'  his  wife  and  bairns.  The  word 
was  given;  the  soldiers  fired;  the  martyr  lay  a  mang 
led  corpse.  Wi'  lood  wailin'  the  wee  bairns  ran  and  fell 
on  the  body  o'  their  bleeding  faither.  They  raised  their 
hauns  to  heaven,  the  puir  things  did  na  ken  what  they  were 
duin'.  But  it  was  a  touching  appeal  to  the  faither  o'  or 
phans,  and  the  avenger  o'  murder.  '  Oh  !  Jeemie,'  shriek 
ed  oot  ane  o'  them,  'thae  men  hae  killed  oor  faither !'  And 
they  hid  their  faces  in  the  bosom  o'  their  martyred  parent, 
and  wailed  most  piteously. 

The  broken-hearted  widow  now  wept  for  the  first  time. 
She  set  doon  her  wee  infant  wean  on  the  grass,  and  began 
the  distressing  office  of  collecting  and  binding  up  the  mang 
led  remains  o'  her  John.  Then  covering  his  body  with 
her  plaid,  she  sat  doon  over  against  them,  and  moaned,  and 
wept! 

The  politeness  o'  the  gallant  officer  did  na  prevent  him 
frae  intruding  on  this"  awfu'  moment  o'  grief.  "  Woman," 
cried  he,  "  what  think  ye  o'  yer  husband  noo  ?" 

"  I  ay  thocht  meikle  o'  him,  and  I  think  as  meikle  o'  him 
as  e'er  I  did,"  said  the  new-made  widow  meekly,  as  she 
leuked  up  to  heaven,  whither  the  pure  spirit  o'  the  martyr 
had  fled." 

"  Ye  deserve  to  be  laid  aside  him,  ye  bitch  !"  was  the  re 
ply  o'  the  humane  and  enterprising  officer. 

"  I  ken  ye  wad  du  it,  and  ye  wad  een  murder  thae  ptiir 
bairnies  likewise,  but  God  reigns  abune,  and  restrains  the 
raging  lion  !  And  hoo  wull  ye  account  for  this  morning's 
wark,  ken  ye  ?" 

"  Account  for't  woman,"  cried  the  bandit,  "  to  my  maist 
gracious  sovereign  I  can  account  for't,  and  for  the  Almich- 
ty  I  wull  tak  him  in  my  ain  hand!"  And  as  he  uttered 
these  terrible  words  o'  blasphemy,  he  whirled  his  gleaming 
steel  around  his  head,  while  some  heavy  blood  drops  fell 
frae  his  blude-steeped  buff  gauntlets,  upon  the  faces  o'  the 
widow,  and  her  bairns.  And  the  bandit  wha  did  a'  this, 
was — the  gallant  Colonel  Graham  here  !" 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.          177 

At  these  words  an  involuntary  exclamation  burst  from 
the  whole  party,  and  the  ladies  screamed,  while  Claverse, 
roused  more  by  the  feelings  of  his  prisoners,  than  the  horrid 
detail,  clapt  his  hand  on  the  hilt  of  his  sword,  and  breathed 
a  tremendous  execration  through  his  chattering  teeth.  But, 
when  he  perceived  Perth,  and  all  the  ladies  turning  their 
eyes  on  him  with  an  involuntary  shudder :  and  even  some 
of  his  own  soldiers  casting  a  look  of  anxious  inquiry  and 
wonder  at  their  colonel, — his  fury  knew  no  bonds.  His 
dark  sunken  eyes  glared  with  wrath,  and  his  harsh  fea 
tures  became  livid.  He  plunged  his  rowels  into  the  flanks 
of  his  steed,  and  wheeling  him  round  in  front  of  the  whole 
party,  he  roared  out,  "  Gag  that  infernal  jade,  forthwith, 
Kennoway !  Gag  her,  I  say,  by  the  deevil !  Captain 
Arrol !" 

"  Gag  Lady  Torwoodlee !"  exclaimed  the  astonished  and 
awe-stricken  soldier,  who  were  willing  to  oblige  their  su 
perior  in  any  deed  but  this  one  in  question,  for  the  fact  was., 
they  had  some  particular  respect  for  Lady  Torwoodlee,  in 
whose  knightly  hall,  they  had  drained  many  a  bumper,  in 
the  days  of  the  old  knight. 

"Gag  a  lady!"  exclaimed  Perth,  and  the  rest  of  the 
party. 

"  Yes,  ye  may  gag  me,"  exclaimed  the  persevering  dame. 
"  In  that  case  the  stanes  under  yer  feet  wad  cry  oot  to  hea 
ven  on  slumbering  justice.  And,  what  wad  be  mair  mar 
vellous  than  a'  this — the  conscience  o'  Claverhouse  wad  cry 
oot — as  ae  day  it  wull  cry  oot — blude  !  BLUDE  !  ELUDE  !" 
The  fury  of  Claverse  here  became  so  ungovernable,  that 
he  was  actually  raising  the  sword  against  the  helpless  lady, 
when  Perth  interfered,  by  rushing  up  between  them,  while 
he  implored  the  dame  to  desist. 

"  My  faither's  dochter,"  cried  Lady  Torwoodlee,  "has 
in  her  the  blude,  whilk  boils  up  under  a  sense  o'  the  cruel 
ty,  injustice,  and  tyranny  exercised  on  free  born  Scotch 
men  !  Poltroons  only,  and  cowards  can  crouch  beneath  sic 
tyranny  !  My  gallant  sons  are  taught  to  wage  eternal  war 
wi'  tyrants !  And  when  they  shall  meet  thee  in  the  thick 
ening  combat,  their  steels  shall  not  return  frae  the  battle  o1 
their  Kintry's  deliverance,  till  they  hae  drunk  the  blude  o' 
tyrants — ay  !  and  o'  murderers  !  A  day  o'  fearful  reckon 
ing  is  coming  on  thee,  and  the  like  o'  thee,  tyrant,  slave ! 


, 

178  THE   WHIGS    OF    SCOTLAND: 

When  our  gallant  nobles  and  our  commons  shall  aince 
mair  arise  in  their  might  like  Scottish  unicorns !" 

"This  used  to  be  the  language  o'  oor  Wallaces,  and 
Bruces,  oor  Douglases  and  Hamiltons,  ay,  and  oor  Camp 
bells  and  Drummonds,"  cried  Perth. 

"  And  what  for  no,  should  it  not  yet  be  the  language  o1 
oor  nobles  and  commons  ?"  exclaimed  Master  James.  "  My 
soul  is  on  fire  while  I  witness  the  deeds  o'  this  bludy  vil 
lain — this  murderer  o'  the  peacable  and  unarmed  peasantry. 
And  he  passes  with  impunity !  Nay  he,  wha  in  the  reign 
o'  justice  end  equity,  wad  hae  been  han'ged  on  a  gallow's 
tree,  thirty  feet  heigh,  like  Graham  c'  Montrose,  noo  reaps 
wealth  and  titles  o'  honour  frae  the  hauns  o'  royalty  for  op 
pressing  his  country !" 

"  Alas !  a  besotted  tyranny  rides  ower  the  land,"  cried 
Lady  Gallashiels.  "  And  we  want  men  o'  might  to  rise  up, 
and  tak  the  lead.  There  is  yet  nae  man  wha  volunteers 
to  bell  the  cat !  The  degenerate  sons  o'  oor  auncient  no 
bility  tremble.  Ilka  ane  fears  mair  for  his  ain  worthless 
self,  than  for  his  Kintry's  wrangs.  But  if  the  present  race 
o'  beardless  men  quail,  and  crouch  to  lick  the  tyrant's  feet, 
so  may  God  do  to  us,  and  mair  also,  gin  we  wha  are  mo 
thers,  dinna  inspire  intil  the  young  generation  o'  Scotland 
the  genuine  spirit  o'  auncient  unsubduable  Scottish  valour." 

Claverse  heard  none  of  this  discourse.  He  had  left  his 
disagreeable  company,  whom  he  ordered  his  dragoons 
strictly  to  guard,  under  penalty  of  life  and  limb ;  and  was 
now  in  front  of  the  van.  As  he  often  threw  his  angry 
eye  back  on  the  enemy,  like  the  worsted  lion  retreating 
sideways,  he  perceived  them  in  close  confabulation.  Ty 
rants  hate  the  freedom  of  the  tongue  as  much  as  the  free 
dom  of  the  press.  Had  he  been  escorting  a  crowd  of 
peasants  he  would  not  have  hesitated  at  cutting  them  down 
on  the  spot,  for  the  freedom  of  their  remarks.  But,  as  it 
was,  the  only  revenge  he  took  on  our  party,  at  this  time, 
was  to  order  the  martial  music  to  strike  up  its  ear-pierc 
ing  notes ,  and  the  kettle-drum  its  tumultuous  doublings, 
close  along  the  flanks  of  the  prisoners,  till  rock  and  thicket 
rang.  Conversation  was,  of  course,  at  an  end:  and  each 
one  was  left  to  follow  his  own  meditations. 

They  reached  Edinburgh  after  a  painful  journey,  for 
Claverse  was  haunted  with  the  fears  of  a  rescue,  and  he 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.          179 

*rged  his  company  forward  to  the  metropolis,  without  de- 
Jay. 

They  were  all  placed  under  guard,  during  night :  and 
next  morning  they  were  presented  before  the  Council. 
Praise  and  thanks  were  in  the  first  place,  decreed  to  Colonel 
Graham,  "for  the  active  zeal  and  enterprise  which  he  has 
displayed  in  the  service  of  his  king  and  country."  Drum- 
mond  and  his  Tutor  were  dismissed  privately,  with  a  ter 
rible  threatening  whispered  in  their  ear  by  Dalziel.  The 
ladies  paid  their  heavy  fines  imposed  on  them  for  the  sin 
and  scandal  of  visiting  a  Conventicle;  and  Claverse  depart 
ed,  exulting  in  the  liberal  share  of  the  plunder,  which  had 
fallen  to  his  lot,  and  humming  the  butt  end  of  a  French 
glee,  as  he  pushed  himself  through  the  scowling  crowd, 
who  loaded  him  with  their  execrations. 

In  the  scenes  of  dissipation  which  followed,  he  forgot, 
for  a  season,  the  scourge  of  Lady  Torwoodlee's  reproaches. 
And  he  was  sober  enough,  in  the  course  of  a  few  days,  to 
creep  from  his  den,  and  rush  forward  on  another  raid,  on 
the  inhabitants  of  some  other  district  of  bleeding  Scotland. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

"  My  LordCardinal, 

\trou  are  meek  and  very  huiuble  mouthed : 
Vou  sign  your  place  and  calling,  in  full  seeming, 
With  meekness  and  humility :  but  your  heart 
Is  crammed  with  arrogancy,  spleen,  and  pride  !" 

SHAKESPEARE. 

The  situation  of  Master  James  was  now  become  extreme 
ly  painful.  Every  occurrence  in  the  house  of  bondage, 
strongly  reminded  him  of  the  gallant  spirit  of  liberty 
breathed,  amid  poverty  and  afflictions,  among  the  Whigs. 
Every  sentiment  and  feeling  of  slavishness,  displayed  in 
the  conversation  of  his  superiors  ;  and  the  rulers  of  the 
nation,  whom  he  had  occasion  to  see  daily  in  the  house  of 
Perth,  constrained  him  to  contrast,  with  what  he  had  heard 
and  seen  the  noble  elevation  of  soul,  the  irrepressible  love  of 


180  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND 

liberty,  and  of  country,  which  were  inspired  into  their  fol 
lowers,  by  the  leading  Whigs, 

The  dazzle  of  honour,  the  fascinations  of  wealth,  the 
gaiety  and  politeness  of  the  licentious  great,  will  give  cur 
rency,  for  a  season,  to  any  class  of  opinions  in  politics  and 
even  religion.  But  reflection,  and  dear-bought  experience, 
will  gradually  detect  the  dazzle  of  the  tinsel :  and  speedily 
scatter  the  delusions  of  splendid  ignorance  and  folly. 
There  is  an  inconsistency,  and  meanness  in  wilful  igno^ 
ranee,  and  bigotry,  which  neither  the  pomp  of  nobility,  nor 
the  trappings  of  princely  honours,  can  long  conceal.  And 
Avhen  they  do  begin  to  develope  themselves  before  the 
minds  of  those  who  are  bent  on  the  search  of  truth,  the  re 
action  of  public  feeling  is  most  powerfully  directed  against 
them :  and  they  are  swept  away  like  a  mound  of  sand,  be 
fore  a  full  spring  tide  ! 

A  few  days  after  the  return  of  Claverse,  with  his  pri 
soners,  Master  James  and  young  Perth,  were  busily  en 
gaged  on  the  pages  of  some  Greek  author,  in  the  library. 

Bailey  VVardlaw  had  been  introduced  by  young  Perth, 
within  the  circle  of  his  visitors,  under  a  fictitious  name : 
and  Burleigh  Stewart,  after  the  dispersion  at  Carlsness,  had 
ventured  also,  incog.,  to  visit  his  noble  friend.  For,  as  the 
Bailey  had  observed  jocosely,  yet  with  no  small  degree  of 
practical  truth,  "  the  safest  way  to  escape  the  fangs  o'  the 
wolf,  Claverhouse'  is  just  to  jouk  in  near  the  lairs  o'  the  men 
o'  the  National  Cooncil.  Wha  wad  suspect  treason  amang 
Charles'  only  friends  ?  As  the  auld  codger  Crawfurd  o' 
Powmill,  cried  to  ane  o'  oor  suffering  friends,  wha  was  in 
the  act  o'  rinnin'  frae  the  foemen,  and  implored  him  for 
God's  sake,  to  gie  him  a  shelter,  '  Hide  thee  in  my  bed,  lad 
die  ! '  cried  he,  '  they'll  ne'er  seok  a  saunt  in  hell !'  And  in 
the  affair  of  Carlsness,  these  two  had  not  come  into  person 
al  contact  with  Claverse.  Of  course  he  did  not  know  their 
features. 

They  were  lounging  in  the  library  during  this  conversa 
tion.  It  happened  to  be  the  day  on  which  Perth  had  pre 
pared  an  entertainment  for  the  members  of  Council,  and 
the  most  distinguished  civil  and  military  men  of  the  day. 
About  noon  the  guests  began  to  arrive.  The  first  who  ap 
peared  was  Archbishop  Sharp,  accompanied  by  Bishop 
Honeyman. 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  181 

There  was  nothing  remarkable  in  the  appearance  of 
Honeyman.  His  zeal  for  prelacy  was  rather  ill-propor 
tioned  to  his  talents  and  education.  He  had  one  of  those  con> 
mon-place  figures,  and  every  day  faces  in  which  we  search 
in  vain  for  any  index  of  greatness.  And,  indeed,  it  does 
not  deceive ;  for  there  is  nothing  from  within  to  be  indi 
cated.  His  fat  bluff  cheeks  and  the  red  mass  which  covered 
his  brow  were  the  true  indications  of  the  man  who  has  the 
talent  of  sleeping,  and  eating,  and  drinking,  and  making 
merry :  and  who  offers  up  the  most  earnest  petition  which 

he  can  discover  in  all  the  litany for  a  good  living ! 

He  literally  became  all  things  to  all  men.  He  had  been 
a  zealous  Presbyterian,  and  Whig  of  the  Covenant.  He 
had  changed  sides — for  the  best  reason  in  the  world  ac 
cording  to  politicians, — King  Charles  had  changed  sides  ! 
He  had  written  a  philippic  against  Presbyterianism.  But,  it 
was  a  sad  failure.  Its  ambiguity  and  obscurity,  however, 
might  be  turned  to  an  advantageous  account,  should  Pres 
bytery  happily  ever  gain  an  ascendency  in  his  life  time  ! 

The  Primate  Sharp  was  a  striking  contrast  to  Bishop 
Honeyman.  He  was  thin  and  meagre ;  his  features 
were  harsh  and  revolting ;  his  eyes  were  rather  small 
and  dark.  There  was  a  slight  cast  in  his  left  eye, — 
which  approached  in  some  degree,  to  skellying.  The 
upper  part  of  his  brow  seemed  to  overhang  the  lower  part, 
which  was  sunken  considerably  at  the  juncture  of  his 
eye  brows.  His  nose  was  straight  and  formed  an  angle 
with  the  line  of  his  brow — thereby  removing  it  far  from  the 
form  of  Grecian  model.  There  was  first  a  blue,  then  a  pale 
semi-circle  beneath  his  eyes,  indicating  painful  watching, 
or  a  restlessness  and  anxiety  which  banish  sweet  and 
balmy  sleep.  His  chin  was  unusually  long  in  proportion 
to  his  nose.  And  this  proceeded  from  a  habit,  which  he 
had  contracted,  of  drawing  up  his  thin  lips  into  a  constant 
smile : — such  as  we  see  in  a  man's  face,  who  has  found 
himself,  beyond  his  utmost  expectations,  thrown  into  company 
far  above  his  rank  and  station,  arid  from  whose  habit  of 
smiling  and  laughing  in  the  pure  parasitical  style  there 
is  a  characteristic  impression  stamped  on  mouth  and  cheek*. 
Moreover,  in  his  lips  and  in  eyes  there  lurked  the  leer  of  a 
malignant  and  most  sarcastic  smile. 

He  wore  a  velvet  cowl ;  and  his  grey  locks  fell  from  be- 

VOL.  i. — Q. 


182  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

neath  it,  in  profusion  over  his  ears  and  upon  his  shoulders. 
And  in  front  they  were  smoothed  down  over  his  brow,  half 
way  to  his  eyes,  with  the  nicest  precision.  Contrary  to  the 
custom  of  his  quondam  Presbyterian  associates,  he  wore 
no  beard,  either  on  the  chin  or  the  upper  lip.  He  was 
dressed  in  a  neat  suit  of  black  velvet,  made  in  the  very 
height  of  the  fashion  of  the  day — the  coat  being  made 
large ;  the  arms  wide  like  bags,  the  cuffs  garnished  with 
buttons,  the  skirts  hanging  in  loose  profusion  around  him ; 
this  doublet,  buttoned  from  top  to  bottom,  had  flaps,  parting 
in  front.and  reaching  to  his  knees,  and  they  were  surmounted 
with  huge  pockets,  with  their  peaked  lids,  buttons  and 
loops.  His  stockings  were  drawn  up  over  his  knees  ;  and 
met  his  small-clothes  somewhat  below  the  middle  of  the 
thigh,  the  outer  side  of  which,  on  each  thigh  Avas  garnish 
ed  with  a  gausy  row  of  black  horn  buttons.  His  shoes 
came  up  to  his  ankles :  and  in  front  they  were  decked  off 
with  a  babbing  rose  of  black  ribbons. 

Such  was  the  exterior  of  this  famous  man,  who  exhibit 
ed  in  all  the  years,  and  in  all  the  ranks  of  his  active  life, 
an  unbounded  ghostly  ambition.  Having  by  treachery  to 
his  associates,  and  an  insinuating  address,  at  which  he  was 
a  master,  at  last  reached  the  summit  of  Primate  of  Scot 
land,  he  actually  aspired  to  enter  the  lists  with  the  high 
est  nobles  of  the  land,  and  contest  with  them,  the  honour 
of  Lord  Chancellor  of  the  kingdom.  "  Some  hae  named 
myself,  an'  it  please  yer  Majesty,"  said  he  with  an  affec 
tation  of  sanctity,  and  devout  humbleness  before  his  sove 
reign,  "  as  the  fittest,  but,  surely,  I  canna  be  supposed  to 
hae  the  ambition.  The  Church,  howsomever,  is  in  danger.* 
And  the  man  on  whom  yer  Majesty's  choice,  falls  should 
be  a  churchman  in  heart — if  he  has  na  the  gown."  And 
lest  his  Majesty  might  not  take  up  his  hints,  he  engaged 
the  English  Archbishop  Sheldon,  to  move  the  king  in 
his  behalf.  And  he  actually  had  the  seals  entrusted  into 
his  hands  for  a  season ! 

His  talent  at  flattery,  and  his  perseverance  in  accom 
plishing  an  object,  were  equalled  only  by  his  dastardly 

*  The  watchword  of  ambitious  prelates,  in  all  generations,  even  as 
the  claims  of  patriotism,  have  been  that  of  office  hunters  in  the  politi 
cal  world ! 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.          183 

meanness,'  and  a  proneness  to  falsify.  At  the  same 
interview  with  Charles  II.,  all  these  were  strikingly 
exemplified.  He  had  made  the  most  impudent  pretensions ; 
and  urged  the  most  beggarly  requests,  under  the  usual 
cant  and  whining  hypocrisy  about  the  Church  being 
in  danger.  And  in  his  zeal,  he  so  far  forgot  himself  as 
to  throw  out  malignant  insinuations  against  some  of  the 
courtiers  for  their  want  of  zeal.  Being  followed  home 
to  his  chamber,  by  the  Duke  of  Lauderdale — through  the 
connivance  of  the  King,  who  hoped  to  derive  some  mer 
riment  at  the  expense  of  the  Primate  of  Scotland, — he  fell 
a  trembling  and  crying  before  the  awful  solemnity  of  Lau 
derdale' s  looks,  and  his  terrific  threats.  And  he  actually 
did  eat  back  all  his  words  and  sayings,  and  gave  himself 
the  lie  before  his' sovereign. 

In  the  whole  of  his  crafty  policy,  he  betrayed  a  singu 
lar  ignorance  of  human  nature,  and  most  especially  of  the 
genius  of  his  own  countrymen,  in  applying  open  force  and 
violence  to  bring  men  over  to  his  religious  opinions.  His 
whole  deportment  indicated  a  total  want  of  respect  for  per 
sonal  piety,  and  his  whole  policy,  an  utter  contempt  for  the 
rights  of  conscience,  and  personal  responsibility  to  the 
Deity.  The  affair  of  the  trial  of  Mitchell  demonstrated 
the  painful  fact,  that  he  could  stoop  to  the  crime  of  perjury, 
and  subornation  of  perjury,  to  accomplish  his  object,  and 
take  the  life  of  one  whom  he  hated.*  And  the  imprison 
ments,  tortures,  and  executions,  and  the  military  murders 
during  nineteen  years,  to  all  of  which  he  was  accessary,  as 
the  prime  instigator,  gave  a  painful  demonstration  to  the 
world,  that  to  acquire  riches  and  ghostly  power  he  would 
shrink  from  no  deed,  however  atrocious ;  and  would  ha 
zard  every  peril,  even  to  the  overthrowing  of  the  liberty 
and  the  religion  of  his  country.  On  the  whole  there  was 
in  this  prelate  a  combination  of  craft,  treachery,  hypocrisy, 
cruelty,  and  cowardice,  which  have  been  rarely  found  in  any 
one  individual.  It  has  puzzled  his  flatterers  and  friends, 
to  discover  any  one  notable  and  redeeming  virtue  in  his 
character.  He  was  hated  by  the  people.  He  was  an  ob 
ject  of  ridicule,  and  even  derision  to  Lauderdale,  and  Charles 
II. ;  and  of  disgust  to  the  high-minded  Scottish  nobles. 

*  See  the  history  of  that  period. 


184  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

His  ambition  was  marked  with  a  singular  success;  and 
he  met  with  a  cruel  and  unjustifiable  fall !  Had  he  died  a 
natural'  death,  all  ranks  would  have  soon  forgotten  him. 
As  it  is,  the  horrible  circumstances  attending  his  death,  have 
caused  his  memory  to  descend  to  posterity,  as  a  martyr  to 
prelacy  !* 

When  the  attendant  ushered  in  the  prelates  into  the  li 
brary,  the  primate  approached  young  Perth  and  his  tutor, 
and  introduced  Honeyman  to  them. 

"  Ye'll  excuse  my  Lord  Orkney  for  takin'  ye  by  his  left 
hand,"  said  Sharp,  with  a  leering  smile.  "  The  fanatic  wha 
fired  his  pistolet  at  me,  disabled  my  lord's  richt  haun.  But 
the  deevil  had  a  spite  at  ye,  my  Lord ;  it  was  the  self  saum 
haun  whilk  wrote  the  effective  wark  against  the  fanatics. 
But  I  owe  thee,  man,  meikle  gratitude,  for  had  ye  no  been 
my  screen,  gude  my  lord,  I  wad  hae,  this  blessed  day,  been 
singing  hallelujahs  in  heaven,  whilk,  thank  God,  I'm  no 
duing. 

But  come,  my  young  Lord,  or  what's  yer  title,  my  braw 
youth  ?  Ye  hae  some  learned  freens  here.  May  I  be  ho 
noured  wi'  their  acquaintance?" 

Young  Perth,  in  his  quizzical  way,  either  out  of  con 
tempt  for  Bishop  Sharp,  or  to  tease  the  Bailey,  proceeded 
gravely  to  introduce  each  of  them  by  their  true  names. 

This,  and  may  it  pleasure  yer  grace,  and  you,  my  Lord 
Bishop,  is  a  distinguished  Glasgow  Magistrate,  Bailey 
Wardlaw,  who  has  honoured  me  with  a  visit.  This  is 
Burleigh  Stewart,  a  true  and  loyal  descendant  o'  the  hoose 
o'  Scotland,  God  bless  it.  And — such  is  his  happy  lot, 
also  a  branch  he  is  o'  the  family  o'  the  immortal  Burleigh 
o'  the  council  o'  Queen  Elizabeth,  o'  maist  glorious  memory." 

"  Bailey  Wardlaw,  Wardlaw!"  ejaculated  the  primate. 
"  Wardlaw,  humph !  Was  na  that  the  name  of  the  leader 
of  the  Glasgow  students,  wha  lately" 

"  He  is,  sir,  my  maist  especial  friend,  leal  and  true  in  the 
gude  cause." 

The  primate  shook  the  Bailey's  hand,  but  with  a  keen 
inquisitorial  glance,  which  the  Bailey  returned  with  such 
dignity  and  firmness,  that  he  speedily  withdrew  his  eyes 
from  him. 

*  See  Note  F. 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.         185 

"And  Burleigh  Stewart?  No  relation  I  hope,  o'  Sir 
James  Stewart  o'  the  barony  o' " 

"  Burleigh,  I  say,"  cried  Perth,  "he  iso'  royal  and  noble 
blude  !  He  is  a  Stewart  as  weel,  as  oor  adored  sovereign." 

"  Immortal  names  !  I  honour  thee,  youth,  for  thy  name's 
sake.  I  kiss  the  hand  o'  the  maist  distant  sprig  and  scion 
o'  the  family  tree  o'  oor  maist  gracious,  maist  sacred,  and 
maist  adored  sovereign !" 

This  he  uttered  with  unusual  animation,  for  his  zeal  in 
behalf  of  supremacy  and  divine  right,  being  young,  glowed, 
as  in  every  similar  case,  with  an  excessive  ardour.  And, 
having  placed  himself  at  the  table,  where  young  Drum- 
mond  and  his  tutor  had  been  pursuing  their  studies,  he  be 
gan  to  examine  the  books  which  lay  before  him,  and  his 
hand  fell  on  a  pocket  Bible,  belonging  to  Master  James. 

"  A  weel  thumbed  beuk,  my  certie !"  said  he,  as  he  glanc 
ed  at  the  blank  leaf  to  see  the  owner's  name,  doubting  the 
possibility  of  Perth,  or  any  of  his  family  giving  such  proofs 
of  biblical  searchings.  Having  read  Master  James'  name, 
he  ejaculated,  "  Humph !  I  thocht  sae.  This  is  frae  ane 
o'  oor  kintry  toons,  James,  hum  !  This  Jialy  beuk"  conti 
nued  he  reading,  "  God  gie  him  grace  thereon  to  leuk,for 
learning  is  better  than  houses  or  land.  For  houses  decay}1 
Bah!  that's  the  slang  o'  oor  Scottish  cottages.  It's  on  ilka 
Bible  in  a'  the  laun.  There,  my  lord  o'  Orkney,  ye  may 
see  the  birses  o'  the  swinish  herd  o'  the  Lawlans.  In  merry 
England  ye  may  search  frae  the  Tweed  to  the  Lizard's 
Point,  afore  ye  can  discover  sic  a  weel  thumbed  Bible  as 
that!1' 

"  Or  aiblins  a  Bible  at  a',  said  the  prelate  with  a  leer. 
"  And  hence  the  awfu'  trouble  o'  managin'  the  Scottish 
commoners.  They're  a  hard-living,  plodding,  opinionative, 
mischief-brewing  race  of  men.  We're  a  wee  ower  late,  I 
fear,  wi'  them.  Had  they  been  ta'en  in  hauns  when  there 
was  less  knowledge  amang  them,  they  wad  hae  been  mair 
douce  under  the  crozier  and  mitre.  But  this  knowledge, 
of  this  reading  race  of  men,  makes  them  terribly  ticklish. 
Their  iron  features,"  and  here  the  bishop  stroked  down  his 
gausy  purple  cheeks,  with  his  large  palsy-looking  hand ; 
"their  iron  features  tell  ye  as  weel  as  ane  index  can  tell, 
that,  will  ye,  nill  ye,  they'll  think  for  themselves,  in  spite  o' 
the  deel  and  the  pape,  as  themsels  e'en  say.  And  what's 

Q* 


186  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

to  me  past  a'  comprehension,"  continued  the  bishop  as  he 
stroked  down  his  huge  paunch,  and  then  thrust  a  hand  into 
each  deep  pock  of  his  doublet,  "  Nae  delectables  can  bribe 
thae  commoners  o'  the  rabble.  Ye  could  not  offer  them  a 
sairer  insult  than  to  gie  them  hett-pies,  and  plum-pudding 
on  a  Christmas,  or  a  luxurious  dinner  on  a  "  Lord's  Day," 
as  they  ca't.  And  that's  no  a',  nor  e'en  the  warst.  Ower 
their  barley  scons,  and  mashlum  bannacks,  and  patfu'  o' 
sowens,  they'll  crack  ye  off  their  disquisitions  against 
" Erastianism,"  and  "prelatism"  and  "the  waefu!  indul 
gence"  till  yer  puir  loyalist  leuks  black  and  blue !  And, 
then,  their  Scotch  pride,  whilk  they  ca'  their  love  o'  liberty 
and  independence,  is  a  perfect  abomination  to  us  o'  the  higher 
ranks,"  cried  the  lordly  priest,  the  son  o'  a  cooper  in  Fife ! 

"  Noo  yer  English  commoners  are  a  sleek -headed,  rosy- 
faced,  fat-contented  race  o'  craters,  wha  think  little,  and 
read  less.  And,  faith !  for  the  best  reason  i'  the  warld,  they 
canna  read.  And  Avhat  little  they  think  aboot,  my  certie ! 
is  no  aboot  creeds,  bibles,  and  laer !  And  hence  they  are 
douce  as  lambs,  and  easily  trained.  They  wisely  leave  the 
thinking  aboot  spiritual  concerns  to  their  spiritual  guides. 
Commend  me  to  this  portion  o'  his  majesty's  lieges  to  makno- 
ble passive-obedience  men,  and  fast  believers  in  divine  richts  ! 
*  Laer  is  better  than  hooses  or  laun  /'  Ha!  ha!  ha!  That's 
ultra  Scotch!" 

And  the  bishop  shook  his  vasty  mountain  of  paunch, 
most  lustily,  as  he  roared  and  laughed.  "  But,  by  St.  Janu 
ary  and  the  gemini !  thae  Presbyterian  iron  ages  are  fast 
rollin'  avva,  praise  be  blessed!" 

"  But  after  a',  my  lord,"  cried  Bailey  Wardlaw,  who  could 
scarcely  restrain  his  indignation  while  Bishop  Honeyman 
ran  on  thus :  "  What's  a'  oor  fine  vivers  and  kickshaws, 
when  the  deevil  and  his  imps  hae  thrown  pushion  intil  the 
cookery !  What's  a'  yer  reemin'  yill,  and  divine  claret,  when 
Sathan's  head  cook  has  been  mixin'  up  his  cursed  drugs 
and  staff  intil  the  browst !  Gude  yer  grace,  I  wad  be  unco 
wae  to  understan'  that  there  was  e'en  ae  Scottish  man,  in  a' 
the  land,  wha  could  boast  that  he  had  mair  guts  than  brains !" 
And  the  eyes  of  the  Bailey  fell  involuntarily  on  Honeyman, 
as  he  uttered  this. 

The  Primate  bent  his  eyes  on  the  Bailey  with  a  terrible 
frown,  who  paused,  and  turned  him  round  to  young  Drum- 
mond. 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.          187 

11  For  me,"  cried  Master  James,  who  broke  in,  mainly 
with  a  view  to  bring  relief  to  his  ward,  whom  he  saw  al 
most  convulsed  with  laughter  at  this  sally  of  the  Bailey,  and 
thrusting  his  kerchief  into  his  mouth  to  prevent  its  egress, 
"  Were  I  an  Anglo-Scotchman,  whilk,  thank  God,  I  am 
not,  I  wad  tak  this  saum  forbearance  in  the  matter  o'  Christ 
mas  pies,  and  gude  vivers,  in  a  very  alarming  light.  Yer 
cavaliers,  and  Southron  commoners,  wha  carry  their  herns 
beneath  their  girdles,  affect  to  laugh  to  scorn  the  men  o' 
oor  North  Kintry.  But  were  thae  military  reformers  pos 
sessed  o'  the  wee  bit  gumption,  I  really  thocht  they  had, 
aince;  they  micht  perceive,  e'en  in  the  trifles  o'  this  kind, 
a  deep,  settled,  and  immoveable  resolution  on  the  part  oj  yer 
foemen,  to  be  a  free  and  independent  Kirk,  and  Kintry ! 
Wad  the  soul  o'  the  patriot  and  Christian,  gude  yer  grace, 
indulge  itself  in  ease  and  mirth,  when  his  weeping  eyes 
see  the  Kirk  o1  God,  and  his  Kintry  smoulderin'  in  ruins  ? 
Du  ye  no  see,  in-this  spurning  frae  him  the  Southron  inno 
vations,  and  a'  communion  wi'  his  oppressors,  even  to  the 
length  o'  puttin'  awa  frae  afore  his  e'en  the  pleasantest  things, 
and  sweetest  veevers,  the  true  spirit  o'  the  SCOTTISH  Uxi- 
CORX  roused  up  to  fury  ?  He  disdains  yer  courtesy,  and 
a'  communion  wi'  ye,  even  in  the  common  affairs  o'  eating 
and  drinking,  until  he  again  be  free !  He'll  stoop  to  nae 
bribery,  and  nae  compromise.  Liberty  to  Scotland  and 
the  Kirk  6*  Scotland,  or  death  !  Never  did  Roman  patriot 
pronounce,  wi'  mair  enthusiasm  than  does  the  Scot,  'nzort 
pro  patria  dulce  et  decorum  estf  Sae  cries  yer  foemen,  the 
Whigs.  And  sae  cry  I,  may  it  please  you,  my  lord  Drum- 
mond,"  he  added  in  a  low  tone,  "  Gie  me  the  bleak  hills  o' 
Scotland  and  liberty,  and  I  will  tak  my  cup  o'  caller  water, 
and  my  peas  scons  !  And  the  Tories  may  tak  their  splen 
did  robes,  and  gustive  vivers,  and  their  chains  o'  slavery, 
a'  ower  the  border  !" 

"  And  were  I  ane  Anglo-Scotchman,"  cried  Bailey 
Wardlaw,  "  I  wad  feel  mysel  shakin'  in  my  shoon,  while  I 
was  compelled  to  hear  this  saum  testimony,  whilk,  my  lord 
bishop,  ye  hae  borne,  anent  this  Scottish  forbearance  in  the 
matters  o'  vivers. — Yer  l  sleek  faced,  and  rosy  cheeked 
Southren's  will  be  riotous  for  the  glorious  toleration  and 
the  divine  indulgence,  as  lang  as  it  means,  in  their  voca 
bulary,  a  toleration  and  indulgence  in  lumps  o1  puddin1  pn 


188  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

yule  or  Christians;  and  wauly  waughts  o'  brandy  and 
claret!  But  it's  na  to  be  concealed  that  thae  hard-featured 
Scotchman,  pitted  against  ye,  being  glad  simply  and 
allenarly  to  be  kept  frae  starvin'  by  their  scrimpit  bick- 
erfu'  o'  sovvens,  or  kail-brose,  and  a  half  o'  a  farle  o'  mash- 
lum  bannocks,  think  it  nae  hardship  to  be  called  to  war 
against  the  flesh,  and  deny  themselves  the  yerthly  bless  o' 
plum-puddin'  and  christmas  pies  whilk  they  canna  get. 
And  when  they're  makin'  nae  sacrifice,  ye  see,  wull  ought 
in  the  yerth,  or  hell  either,  mak  them  yield  their  souls,  and 
bodies  to  Southren  politics,  and  religion  ?  No !  while 
Benlomond  rears  his  grey  head  i'  the  cluds !  No,  never  !" 

As  Master  James,  and  the  Bailey  ran  on  thus,  as  if 
reckless  of  consequences, — 'Sharp  fixed  his  frowning 
eyes  first  on  the  one,  and  then  on  the  other,  with  restless 
anxiety,  while  he  shot  a  side  glance  on  young  Drummond, 
from  his  half  averted  face,  as  if  to  dive  into  his  feelings; 
then  he  nodded  to  Honeyman,  and  whispered  occasionally, 
while  his  eyes  glared  with  livid  fire ! 

Young  Drummond  now  interposed :  he  placed  his  chair 
forward,  within  the  circle ;  and  drew  the  conversation  to 
another  topic.  He  entered  into  discourse  with  Burleigh 
touching  Glasgow,  and  its  flourishing  University :  then 
called  the  attention  of  the  Primate,  and  the  bishop,  to  the 
comparative  merits  of  the  Universities  of  Glasgow  and 
Edinburgh.  In  the  common-place  observations  which 
occurred  on  that  topic,  the  Archbishop  seized  on  a  trivial 
incident;  and  resolved  to  extract  out  .of  it,  the  evidence 
of  what  he  called  the  Glasgow  conspiracy. 

Bailey  Wardlaw  in  his  eulogium  on  the  Glasgow  uni 
versity,  had  boasted,  in  his  merriment,  of  the  students  there 
"screedingye  aff  Latin  Verses  as  glegly  as  yer  Embro' 
lads  their  dull  English  poetry ;"  and  he  pointed  to  Burleigh 
as  a  master  at  that  exercise  in  the  classics. 

The  prelate  conceived  that  if  he  could  procure  from  him 
some  specimens  of  poetry,  they  would  no  doubt  be  found  to 
contain  the  quintessence  of  Whiggish  treason ;  and  the 
blow  which  he  levelled  at  that  University,  would  be  coun 
tenanced  by  the  heads  of  the  nation. 

"  And,  nae  doot,;!  said  he,  drily,  and  as  if  no  design 
lurked  under  the  question,  "the  braw  young  knight 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.         189 

Burleigh  Stewart  has   aboot  him  some  specimens  of  his 
poetry  ?" 

Burleigh  was  replying  to  this  badinage,  when  they  were 
summoned  into  the  saloon.  The  members  of  the  Council, 
the  judiciary,  and  chief  officers  of  State  were  assembled ; 
and  our  party  hastened  to  pay  their  respects  to  Perth,  and 
to  them. 

The  company  sat  down  to  dinner  at  one  o'clock.  The 
most  distinguished  guests  were  Rothes  and  Lauderdale  ; 
Primate  Sharpe,  and  bishops  Honeyman,  Galloway,  and 
Glasgow ;  the  lord  Advocate  Sir  George  McKenzie,  who 
was  placed  opposite  to  Rothes  and  Lauderdale ;  and  lord 
Chief  Justice  Corrington,  together  with  my  lords  Colling- 
ton,  Struthurd,  Castlehill,  Forret  and  Newton ;  then  there 
followed  a  host  of  titled  and  untitled  characters.  There 
was  his  grace  the  duke  of  Hirplehully ;  lord  Justice 
Clerk  Pawkyeen ;  and  the  Advocates  Raxsoul ;  Supple- 
tongue  ;  Ben  Reckless ;  Sir  Judas  McCalibre ;  and  Harry 
Creeshmaloof;  then  there  followed  a  squad  of  Writers  to 
the  Signet,  headed  by  Sweering  Jeemie,  and  Tom  Beef 
mountain;  and  Mr.  Sheriff  Suppleheels,  drove  up  the 
rear.  And,  lastly,  there  followed  a  long  train  of  another 
untitled  nameless  race  of  beings,  novi  homines,  poets,  beef 
eaters,  parasites,  and  a  few  small  proprietors.  These  took 
their  places  far  beneath  the  salt ;  and  looked  up  with  awful 
reverence  to  the  gods  and  goddesses ;  and  lent  the  ready 
chorus  of  a  merry  laugh,  to  every  feckless  mint  at  wit, 
coming  from  them  who  were  in  high  places ! 

The  dinner  did  not  partake  of  the  profusion,  and  rich 
variety  of  an  English  dinner.  But  there  was  the  gausy 
sirloin,  the  choisest  venison;  the  royal  haggis,  served  up 
in  glorious  style  ;  and  the  rich  white  meat  of  the  bubbly- 
duck  ;  and  the  rarest  fish  drawn  from  the  Forth ;  and 
pasties  which  would  not  have  disgraced  the  table  of  royal 
ty  itself.  And  the  wines,  of  an  ancient  vintage,  were  the 
choicest  from  the  vault  of  Gaffer  Hernless. 

After  the  last  dish  of  the  feast,  and  the  dessert  had  been 
dispatched,  and  when  the  guests  took  their  wine  and  fruits; 
whilathey  were  engaged  in  an  easy,  pick-tooth,  small  talk 
conversation,  the  Primate  introduced  the  subject  of  the 
Bailey's  eulogium ;  and  begged  the  attention  of  Lauder 
dale  and  the  lord  Advocate,  to  it. 


ISM)  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  T 

"  It  wad  be  ill  befittin'  the  present  company,  gude  yer 
grace,"  whispered  the  Bailey  to  him ;  and  he  urged  him 
to  dismiss  the  matter,  "  as  a  bagatelle  introduced,  before,  in 
mere  daffin."  He  pressed  this  the  more,  inasmuch  as  he 
was  fully  aware  that  Sharp  had  only  one  aim  in  all  his 
actions.  He  cared  nothing  about  the  comparative  merits 
of  the  Universities :  the  themes  of  students  occupied  no 
thought  or  time  of  his.  He  was  in  search  of  Whiggery, 
which,  with  him,  was  synomymous  with  treason,  against  his 
divine  rights.  The  fact  is,  he  had  long  had  his  eye  on  both 
Universities,  and  suspected  them :  and  was  only  seeking 
for  a  habile  plea,  for  shutting  them  up.  And  he  had  sud 
denly  conceived  the  idea,  that,  if  he  could  succeed  in  get 
ting  the  leading  men  of  the  Council  to  hear,  from  the  lips 
of  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  students,  some  of  their 
treasonable  terms  brought  forward,  as  if  per  accidens,  he 
could  speedily  bring  them  all  over  to  the  resolution  of 
dispersing  these  dangerous  young  spirits. 

"  Timeo  Donaos,  et  dona  ferentcs"  said  the  Bailey  to 
Burleigh  in  a  whisper.  "  What  say  you  to  the  Primate's 
proposal  ?  wull  ye  play  off  yer  Latin  poetry  at  the  risk  o' 
yer  neck  1  The  inquisitor  suspects  us :  but  little  kens  he 
wha  we  are.  If  you  yield  t to  his  request,  I  shall  applaud 
yer  courage  mair  than  yer  prudence. 

"  There's  nae  boor  better  than  the  present,  for  ane 
amusement  o'  this  kind,  cried  Perth,  who  had  been  listen 
ing  some  time  to  the  whispers  of  Sharpe,  and  had  come 
over  to  his  secret  plans. 

"  Maist  true,  my  Lord,"  responded  Lauderdale,  in  his 
easy  jaunty  way,  as  he  filled  up  his  flagon,  from  the  lordly 
stoup,  "  We're  here  a'  at  leisure,  for  any  kind  o'  trifle. 
By  the  lard !  we  canna  aye  be  saddled  wi'  the  drudgery  o' 
purify  in'  the  land,  and  sendin'  Whigs  to  glory !  And 
harkee,  young  man,"  added  he,  as  he  gave  a  side  glance 
and  a  nod  over  his  left  shoulder  to  Burleigh,  "  tak  ane 
advice  frae  ane  auld  courtier.  Hae  nae  wull  o'  yer  ain, 
when  afore  the  Powers.  Ne'er  read  petitions,  nor  verses, 
lard  help  ye,  to  ane  hungry  man ;  or  when  his  cup's  toom. 
Ye  wull  gratify  us  by  proceeding,  young  man." 

"Ready,  ay  ready!"  whispered  Burleigh  who  could 
with  no  kind  of  grace  disobey;  and  who,  young  as  he 
was,  felt  as  if  he  could  beard  the  lion  in  his  den.  "  Ready 


fcR,  THE  LAST  t>?  THE  STUARTS.  191 

for  a'  extremities,"  he  added  modestly,  but  with  some  what 
of  an  ambiguity,  "  I  yield  me  in  obedience,  at  the  expense 
o'  my  feelings." 

"  Faith  !  that's  soond  doctrine,"  cried  Rothes.  "  I  hope 
my  lord  Primate,  ye  jaloose  the  auld  College,  withoot 
reason." 

"  I  obey  yer  grace,"  said  Burleigh  to  Lauderdale,  "  right 
willingly :  for  I  hae  ay  fund  that  gude  claret  washed 
doon  the  warst  o'  poetry." 

"Perfectly  orthodox!"  cried  Lauderdale  to  Rothes,  as 
he  swallowed  down  his  bumper  of  claret,  and  set  down  his 
massy  silver  flagon  with  a  flourish.  "  Eh !  cods  fish ; 
claret  is  the  great  reformer !  It  wull  enlighten,  and  render 
orthodox,  and  loyalize  yer  verriest  Whig,  that  e'er  canted 
on  a  hill  side.  Wull  Shakspeare  was  richt  in  ae  particular, 
and  wrang  in  ane  ither.  '  The  man  who.  has  nae  sweet 
music  in  him,'  let's  see,  what'st  he  saith,  weel!  its  nae 
odds :  he's  right  as  to  the  sentiment.  But  then  there's  a 
wee  misnomer:  He  should  hae  said,  divine  claret;  the 
man  wha  has  nae  divine  claret  jn  him,  nor  taste  for  the 
same,  is  fit  for  any  mischief;  a  plotting  Whig  ;  a  sprig  o' 
the  treason  o'  Beelzebub  !  Eh,  Rothes  1  But  I  am  inter 
rupting  you,  young  man,— proceed." 

And  he  threw  himself  back  in  his  chair,  and  fixed  his 
blood-shot  eyes,  glancing  like  two  candles,  on  our  young 
hero. 

Sir  George  McKenzie  placed  his  head  on  the  palm  of 
his  two  hands,  and  listened  with  a  most  quizzical  look. 
The  Primate  looked  on  with  a  proud  surly  air,  while  he 
rested  his  brow  on  the  palm  of  his  right  hand.  The  lords 
sipped  their  claret,  and  threw  an  occasional  glance  at  our 
youth,  without  once  turning  their  faces  on  him.  Lauder 
dale  waved  his  hand :  Burleigh  went  on,  pronouncing  with 
a  low,  and  distinct  voice  the  following  verses,  as  he  glanced 
occasionally  at  the  paper  in  his  hand. 

"AFRI    LAMENTATIO    IN    SERVITUTEM    ABREPTI." 

" Afri"  whispered  the  Primate,  " that  means  "  Whig" 
"or  I  ken  nocht  o'  polictics:"  and  he  nodded  to  Lauder 
dale  who  only  raised  up  his  huge  shaggy  eye  brows  ;  and 
filled  up  his  flagon  to  the  brim. — Burleigh  proceeded. 


102  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  ; 


CHAPTER  XX. 

JEquoreis  tulerat  campis  sua  lumina  Phoebe, 

Et  facili  cursu  navis  arabat  iter. 
Venti  jam  ponunt,  sternunter  jam  sequoris  undae, 

Inque  sinu  noctis  lenior  aura  peril. 
Attamen  Afri  tempestas  per  pectora  seevit, 

duem  subito  rapuit  vis  inopina  mali. 
Insopitum,  et  forte  levatum  vmcula  membris, 

Exagitant  stimulis,  angor  et  ira  suis : 
Atque  animum  nunc  hue  celerem  nunc  diridit  illuc, 

In  partes  varias  omnia  perque  rapit. 
Dentibus  infrendens,  oculos  per  inane  volutans 

Sanguine  suffuses,  murmura  moesta  dedit. 
"  Demum,  Europoei,  diris  commissa  luetis" 

The  Lord  Advocate,  M'Kenzie,  here  fixed  his  eyes  on 
Burleigh,  and  they  flashed  fire ;  he  muttered  "  Infernal 
Whiggism!"  as  he  cast  them  next  on  the  Primate.  Bur 
leigh  went  on — 

"  Si  scelerum  vindex— si  DEUS  ultor  erit, 

Q,uJS —  "* 

Here  the  tumult  hecame  greatly  increased.  The  Pri 
mate  groaned,  and  uttered  a  bitter  execration.  Rothes 
knit  his  brows,  and  ordered  him  to  sit  down.  Burleigh 
bowed  very  respectfully,  and  his  eyes  fell  on  Lauderdale 
as  he  moved  them,  in  modesty  around  the  circle,  and  added, 
"  It  was  nane  o'  my  seeking,  my  Lord  Duke  !  I  had  nae 
wull  o'  my  ain  afore  the  Powers." 

Lauderdale  looked  with  a  quizzical  eye  on  the  young 
man, — and  putting  his  flagon  to  his  lips,  he  whispered,  as 
he  nodded  to  him.  "  '  Honi  soit  qui  mal  y  pense.'  In 
troth,  laddie?  ye' re  richt.  But  M'Kenzie  mistook  ye, — 
his  conscience  is  lowing  wi'  the  fire  o'  Sathan's  kingdom, 
and  he  is  ay  on  the  look  oot  for  libels  and  accusations. 
And  talk  ye  Arabic  or  Chinese  to  the  auld  hypocrite, — I 
mean  Judas, — there — he'll  swear  ye're  denouncing  them, 
wha  betray  trust  and  sell  their  Kirk  for  gold !  It's  bonny 
classic  poetry,  laddie, — be  yer  meaning  what  it  may." f 

*  See  Note  D . — Appendix, 
f  Lauderdale  was  a  distinguished  classic  scholar. 


OR,  THfc  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  193 

The  Primate,  the  while,  was  bending  himself  forward, 
£nd  striving  to  catch  the  echo  of  Lauderdale's  words. 
The  increasing  noise  of  human  voices,  with  the  clanking 
of  silver  stoups  and  flagons  utterly  defeated  his  wishes. 
But  suspecting  from  Lauderdale's  forbearance,  that  all 
was  not  right,  he  whispered  across  the  Advocate's  shoul 
ders  to  Lauderdale  and  Rothe,  "  There's  treason  in  that 
saum  piece  frae  end  to  end." 

"Say  ye  so,  friend  Judas,"  cried  Lauderdale,  "and  ye 
heard  only  a  dozen  and  two  lines.  When  may  it  pleasure 
Ver  primacy,  gat  ye  the  gift  o'  the  second  sicht  ?"  And 
ne  shook  his  huge  sides,  and  laughed,  "  Here's  luck 
Judas,  to  yer  heresy  seekin'."  And  he  drained  his  bum 
per  to  the  bottom, — set  it  down  with  a  flourish  and  roared 
out,  "ha,  ha,  ha  !" 

Sharp  turned  himself  to  Burleigh,  and  observed  with 
an  apparent  air  of  indifference,  though  his  whole  frame 
shook  with  wrath.  "  Yer  auld  University  is  rotten  to  the 
heart's  core.  Ye're  over-run  wi'  the  filthy  and  obscene 
weeds  o'  Whiggism. . . , .  By  the  Eternal!  I'll  send  ye  a 
deliverance.  '  Quid  domini  facient,  audent  cum  talia  fa 
res  ?"  What  maun  be  the  whiggery  o'  yer  facility," 
added  the  prelate,  and  filling  up  his  flagon  with  the  dark 
liquor,  he  merely  kissed  the  brim  and  set  it  down  with 
his  trembling  arm.  "  What  maun  the  master  deels  be  plot 
ting  when  the  wee  deels  daur  gie  utterance  to  sic  treason ! 
By  the  Haly  Ane,"  added  the  infuriate  priest,  as  he  shook 
his  clenched  fist,  "  I'll  harl  my  drag-net  ower  ye  a',  and 
fish  ye  ;  and  gut  ye  ;  and  brander  ye,  on  the  gridiron  o'  auld 
Clootie!  And  ye'll  skirl  oot  Bangor,  or  rout  oot  yer 
Auld  Martyrs  mournfully,  the  niest  time  I  send  my  douce 
reformin'  elders,  the  dragoons,  amang  ye  !  I  troth 
there's  nae  body  like  Claverhouse,  and  oor  Dalziel,  to  gie 
ane  upricht,  orthodox  faculty  to  the  rotten-hearted  Biggin 
o'  Glasgow.  A  bellyfu'  o'  cauld  steel  is  a  royal  medicine 
to  purge  overgrown  jackasses  frae  the  leprosy  o1  Whig 
gism  !" 

This  he  uttered  with  great  vehemence,  and  his  eyes 
flashed  with  the  dark  fire  of  his  fury. 

The  rest  were  not  sufficiently  interested  in  the  old  pre 
late  or  his  personal  feelings,  to  give  him  audience.  They 

VOL.  i. — R. 


194  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND: 

were  listening  to  a  loud  splore  of  M'Kenzie,  who,  with 
many  solemn  nods  and  shakes  of  his  load  of  supernumera 
ry  curls,  and  a  solemn  lengthened  gravity  of  his  lank  yel 
low  jaws,  was  giving  an  account  of  the  last  scene,  and 
dying  discoursings  of  one  of  the  Martyrs,  who  had  pre 
dicted  "«  BLUDY  FA'  AND  A  SPEEDY  ANE,  tae  him  w ha  pled 
awa'  the  lives  d1  the  saunts  for  gowd!" 

And  the  wretched  lawyer  mimicked  the  tears  o'  the 
martyr's  agony, — when,  in  the  last  extremity,  he  called  on 
his  Country,  and  his  God,  for  justice  ! 

By  the  setting  of  the  sun,  the  more  sober  had  retired  to 
the  withdrawing  room.  But  these  were  a  mere  unit ;  they 
were  not  missed.  And  even  their  absence  was  rather  con 
strained  than  voluntary.  The  palsy  and  frigidity  of  old 
age  had  forced  the  unwelcome  virtue  on  them,  when 
the  charms  of  strict  temperance  had  spent  its  eloquence  in 
vain.  Some  of  their  graces,  the  bishops,  had  also  retired. 
But  the  Primate  held  out,  but  not  for  the  pleasures  of  rev 
elry — he  was  temperate  in  this  respect.  An  unbounded 
ghostly  ambition  was  his  reigning  passion.  He  had  an 
object  to  accomplish  this  day,  which  lay  near  his  heart. 
It  was  the  securing  of  the  passage  of  the  ACT,  which, 
after  his  melancholy  decease,  was  called  by  the  nation 
THE  BISHOP'S  LEGACY.  I  allude  to  the  ACT  which  vested 
in  the  military  officers  the  power  of  trying  and  executing, 
on  the  spot,  all  suspected  person,  or  such  as  they  deemed 
suspicious.  An  ACT  which  placed  the  subjects,  their  lives, 
and  property  at  the  disposal  of  military  assassins,  who- 
were  paid  out  of  the  confiscated  property  of  those  whom 
they  murdered  according  to  Law  !  This  gained,  he  also 
made  a  speedy  retreat.  For  Rothes  and  Lauderdale,  feel 
ing  the  inspiring  influence  of  their  wine,  began  to  throw 
off  the  mask,  and  were  speaking  out  in  the  sincerity  of 
their  souls.  They  sent,  with  their  most  hearty  wishes,  all 
Priests,  Prelates,  and  Kirks  to  the  deil.  In  such  mo 
ments  of  blackguardism  and  bacchannalian  sincerity,  the 
State  Officers  manifested  the  same  zeal  towards  Bishops, 
as  they  did  to  the  Whigs. 

Rothes  had  been  bantering  Lauderdale  for  a  specimen 
of  a  "  godly  Conventicle  sermon."  Lauderdale  raised  his 
huge  corporation,  by  the  help  of  two  chairs,  aud  composing 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  195 

his  fiery  face,  which  was  a  glowing  circular  surface  of 
nearly  twelve  inches,  and  opening  the  extremities  of  his 
lips,  and  drawing  down  his  under  lip,  so  as  to  throw  his 
huge  mouth  into  a  form  of  a  triangle  with  the  base  upper 
most,  he  sung  out  in  a  tremendous  nasal  twang,  "  And, 
noo,  dearly  beloved !  we  come  to  the  nineteenth  head  of 
oor  method  !"  and  he  drew  up  the  waist-band  of  his  un 
mentionables:  but  a  fit  of  coughing,  and  hiccupping  pre 
vented  the  egress  of  the  remanent  notes  of  the  sermon. 
Rothes,  half  blind,  and  stupid  with  claret,  gave  Lauder- 
dale  credit  for  the  whole  discourse — not  being  apprized 
that  an  embargo  had  been  laid  on  his  tongue  at  the  very 
port.  He  then  went  on,  in  his  turn,  as  he  winked  and 
nodded  to  Sharpe. 

"  And  Habukkuk  Meikleswiggum  took  up  his  parable 
and  said." — "Balaam,  ye  mean,  my  Lord  Rothes,"  cried  a 
quavering,  piping  voice.  "  Truth,  an'  ye' re  the  mair  or 
thodox  o'  the  twa,  yer  grace  o'  Hirplehully,"  said  Rothes, 
"And  Balaam  Meikleswiggum  took  up  his  parable,  and 
said.  And  it  caum  tae  pass  that  the  piper  o'  Sneldoodrie 
begat  a  son.  And  he  ca'd  his  name  James.  And  mony 
and  meikle  waur  the  visions,  whilk  the  godly  had  o'  this 
godly  bairn.  And  ay  the  gossips  and  priests  sighed,  and 
said,  praise  be  blessed, — but  he'll  be  the  salvation  o'  the 
Church,  and  the  doon-comin'  o'  the  Kirk.  Weel,  and  it 
caum  to  pass,  in  process  o'  time,  as  the  spirit  o1  mischief 
began  to  meuve  the  youth,  before  he  was  in  the  camp  o' 
the  circumceesed,  that  he  felled  doon — no  wi'  the  jaw  bane 
o'  an  ass, — but  wi'  the  neeve  o'  the  piper's  son, — his  fellow 
regent  at  the  College  table.  And  it  is  written  also  in  the 
Chronicles  o'  Fife, — that  the  piper's  son  had  a  wee  ane. 
And  that  wee  ane  was  the  films  nullius  patris — ay  !  Sir,_/??i- 
us  nullius, — though  the  piper's  son  is  somebody  after  a', — 
Eh,  Geordie  M'Kenzie !  And  that  wee  son  disappeared. 
And  a'  the  gossiping  warld  ay  wondered  whaur  the  wee 
babie  had  gane  till !  And  sae  nae  budy  could  tell  whaur 
the  wee  bit  babie  gied  till.  But  ;it  caum  to  pass,  in  pro 
cess  o'  time,  that  under  Janet  Lindsay's  hearth  stane,  the 
banes  o'  a  wean  were  foond.  But  nae  budy  cood  tell  whase 
wee  babie  these  banes  had  been  ! 

In  process  o'  time,  mairover,  beloved, — the  piper's  sou 


196  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

James,  by  his  sighin',  and  greetin',  and  granin'  arrived  at  the 
sauntship.  And  twice  he  sware  the  solemn  League  and  Cov 
enant, — and  he  was  half  blin'  wi'  greetin',  and  hersh  wi* 
granin'.  And  so  it  caum  till  pass,  that  the  piper's  son, — be 
ing  noo  the  holiest  man  in  a'  the  laun,  was  sent  up  to  Lun- 
nin  to  get  the  interests  o'  Presbytery,  and  the  Kirk  richtet. 
And  they  fed  him  weel,  and  clad  him  weel,  and  paid  him 
weel,  a'  the  time  he  was  in  Lunnin.  And  mony  an  oath 
he  teuk,  and  mony  ane  imprecation  he  sccht  frae  heaven's 
anger,  if  he  was  na  a  sincere  and  honest  man.  Twal 
months  he  humbled  himsel  under  the  knave's  cloak.  And 
at  the  end  o'  twal  months  he  sold  his  friens,  and  the  Kirk 
o'  Scotland  for  gowd  !  And  so,  James,  the  piper's  son, 
wha  wended  his  way  to  Lunnin,  in  his  thread  bare  Gene-, 
va,  caum  doon  in  his  Canonicals  o'  rustlin  silks,  hech ! 
Sirs,  the  Archbishop  and  Primate  o'  Scotland,  wi'  a  lordly 
pension  o'  fifty  thoosan  marks  a  year !" 

And  with  these  words  Rothes  gave  a  thump  on  the  mas 
sy  oaken  table  and  burst  into  a  loud  roar  of  laughter. 
Then  looking  around  him,  as  if  inviting  an  encore  of  ap 
plause;  and  missing  the  Primate,  he  inquired  with  seme 
indignation,  "  Eh  ?  Has  Judas  Iscariot  left  the  company? 
A'  weel,  Lauderdale,  it's  a'  in  fit  style.  Sae  e'en  did  his 
worthy  forbear  o'  that  ilk.  And  aiblins  he's  gaun, — '  Ex- 
emplaria  meliora  sequens ' — tae  bring  ilka  ane  o'  us  intil 
the  market  neist, — he'll  be  gaen  to  leuk  oot  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees  neist,  in  the  Coort  o'  Louis  Le  Grand'  or  o' 
Pape  Innocent  XI.,  the  present  Papeo'  Rume,*  ha,  ha,  ha ! 
Whan  a  man  maks  a  gude  bargain, — be  it  in  temporals,  or 
e'en  in  spirituals,  naething  wull  haud  nor  bind  him,  but 
he'll  be  tryin'  tae  mak  a  second  and  a  better  ane  !  And 
the  man  that  begins  wi'  sellin'  his  friens,  and  the  Kirk  o' 
his  faithers,  wull  end  wi'  sellin'  his  wife  and  bairns,  if  he 
can  get  a  gude  market  for  them.  Eh?  Sir  Geordie — I 
dinna  mean  you.  Ha,  ha,  ha  !  Though,  faith,  man  !  they 
say  the  thief's  reseller  is  aboot  as  bad  as  the  thief  himsel. 
Eh  ?  Lauderdale !  Or  are  ye  in  too  !  Ha,  ha,  ha  !  Proh 
tempora !  Proh  mores  !" 

By  this  time  the  hard  drinkers  had  been  removed  by 

*  Anno  Domini  1678. 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.  197 

the  help  of  their  hainchmen, — a  class  of  attendants  who  "  in 
addition  to  the  promise,  at  the  time  of  giving  and  receiving 
the  eerl's  penny  fee,  to  perform  all  regular  calls  to  duty, 
made  also  the  promise  to  act  without  regular  orders,  when 
by  the  usual  -process  of  the  beastly  debaucheries  of  these 
days,  the  master  had  lost  his  reason  by  strong  drink.  They 
were  masters  in  rotation  :  that  is,  when  the  principals  were 
drunk,  they  ruled,  and  with  a  measure  of  arbitrary  power, 
and  firmness  did  they  rule.  They  would  drag  off  these 
cavaliers,  who  had  sunk  down  in  a  fit  of '  deadlie  drunken 
ness,'  as  the  lusty  Spanish  vinter  would  stow  away,  in  his 
brawny  arms,  his  bags  full  of  new  wine. 

Meantime,  a  considerable  number  of  the  hopeful  rulers 
of  the  nation,  were  holding  on  in  deep  potation,  and  amid 
vollies  of  oaths,  and  blasphemies,  and  broken  fragments  of 
sense,  and  nonsense,  with  peals  of  laughter  and  yelling, 
with  grinnings,  and  solemn  noddings,  they  were  contriving 
to  hiccup  out  their  half-fledged  ideas.  Their  political  zeal 
was  in  a  glorious  state  of  combustion.  Each  fresh  bumper 
consigned  the  Whigs  to  old  Nicholas,  and  was  pledged  as 
deep  in  the  deification  of  their  most  gracious  and  most  sa 
cred  master  Charles  II. 

Rothes  and  Claverhouse  were  now  most  conspicuous  for 
noise  and  blasphemy,  amid  these  beastly  revellings.  Cla 
verhouse,  particularly,  had  been  unusually  obstreperous,  to 
the  no  small  annoyance  of  Dalziel,  who  was,  usually,  re 
markable  for  his  silence,  and  his  steadfast  industry  in  steal 
ing  a  march  on  time,  on  all  such  favourable  occasions,  so 
that,  as  was  befitting  a  good  soldier,  and  a  prudent  one,  he 
might  never  be  caught,  by  the  enemy,  without  a  sufficient 
store  of  veevers  in  his  capacious  garrison  !  He  was,  at  least, 
one  bottle  ahead,  of  Claverse,  but  he  had  talked  a  volume 
less  of  nonsense  and  vain  glorying.  And  he  was  now 
sitting,  his  large  face  beaming  like  a  moon,  soaking  in  his 
claret,  and  stroking  down  his  enormous  grizzly  beard,  like 
a  mane,  adown  which  the  rich  dark  nectar  was  streaming, 
and  falling  in  heavy  drops  on  his  buff  belt. 

At  length,  in  the  height  of  his  impatience,  he  called  aloud 
for  the  attention  of  the  company.  And  fixing  his  eyes, 
glancing  like  the  eyes  of  a  wild  cat,  on  Colonel  Graham, 
and  knitting  his  terrible  brows,  like  two  waving  Spanish 


198  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND! 

mustachios,  shooting  far  out  over  his  eyes,  while  his  lips- 
were  curled  up,  beneath  a  bunch  of  hair,  into  a  most  sarcas 
tic  leer,  he  croaked  out, — 

"  Colonel  Graham,  sir,  if  it  binna  ower  late,  sir,  I  wad 
compliment  you,  sir,  on  yer  hraw  soldier-lik  coup  de  main, 
in  that  braw  Conventicle,  sir,  t'ither  day,  when  oot  o'  a 
flock  o'  about  some  twenty  score,  ye  cleeked,  I  am  credi 
tably  informed,  nae  less  than  twa  three  gimmers,  and  some 
sax  auld  ewes,  and  a  bonny  lamb,  or  twa !  And,  by  the 
heevens !  sir,  they  say  ye  was  fairly  rooted,  and  uprooted, 
stump  and  rump,  Eh  ?  And  had  Hamilton  followed  up  his 
advantage,  ye  wad,  tae  my  certain  knowledge,  hae  been 
singing  psalms,  this  precious  nicht  in  heaven  !  But  ye'  re 
spared  by  the  tender  mercies  o'  that  saum  godly  youth. 
Here's,  praise  be  blessed — for. the  richsparin'  mercy,  dearly 
beloved."  And  amid  a  roar  of  laughter,  he  raised  his  sil 
ver  flagon  to  his  lips,  with  a  mock  solemnity,  and  quaffed 
it  off.  "  And  mairover,  Colonel, — hech !  that's  glorious 
claret !  they  say,  sir,  ye  granted  a  toleration,  sir,  to  a  Con 
venticle,  whilk  was  held  incontinent,  and  it  continued  a'  the 
way  to  Embro,  on  the  king's  highway,  under  the  very  nose 
and  een  o'  oor  gallant  colonel !  And  a  she-whig,  mairover, 
they  say,  preached  a  maist  moovin'  and  edifyin'  discoorse ! 
And  her  gab  ne'er  stopt  till  ye  reached  auld  Reeky.  And 
noo,  sir,  wi'  a'  yer  laurels  bloomin',and  fresh  on  yer  brow, 
ye  mak  yer  splore,  as  if  we  waur  a'  bairns,  and  no  fit  to 
haud  the  candle  till  ye.  Here's  luck,  Colonel  Graham, 
tae  yer  fresh  blossomin'  honours  !"  And  he  quaffed  his  se 
cond  flagon,  and  setting  it  doon  wi'  a  flourish,  he  shook 
his  white  mane,  and  groaned,  and  laughed ! 

This  was  more  than  Graham  o'  Claverse  could  have 
borne  with,  had  he  been  out  of  his  cups.  To  such  a  sol 
dier,  wha  had  twa  bottles,  and  the  maist  feck  o'  his  third, 
under  his  belt,  it  was  insufferable.  He  threw  himsel  across 
the  wide  oaken  table,  at  ae  leap,  overturning  flagons, 
glasses,  decanters,  and  black  jacks :  and,  drenched  in  stream 
ing  claret,  he  sprung  upon  Dalziel,  who  tumbled  back  over 
his  chair,  and  roared  out  most  lustily.  "I'll  teach  ye," 
cried  Graham,  "  how  to  use  soldiers,  and  gentlemen,  wha 
hae  seen  foreign  and  domestic  service,  ye  grizzly  bearded 
goat!  By  saunt  Nicholas  o' the  brumstane  throne !  I'll 


OR,  THE  LAST  OF  THE  STUARTS.          199 

shear  off  some  o'  that  wool  frae  yer  vile  swinish  chowks, 
ye 'scape  gallows,  and  rascallion!"  And  suiting  the  ac 
tion  to  his  words,  he  seized  him  by  the  beard  ;  and  having 
dragged  him  frae  his  chair,  to  whilk  he  clung  wi'  baith 
haunds,  and  teeth,  Claverse  was  actually  proceeding  to 
saw  off  his  shaggy  beard,  with  the  edge  of  his  sword. 

To  Lauderdale,  Rothes,  and  the  remanent  members  o'  the 
bacchannalian  carousal,  who  were  half  blind  with  drink,  it 
appeared  as  if  the  infuriate  Colonel  was  really  applying  his 
gleaming  steel  to  the  auld  General's  thrapple,  and  was 
sawing  it,  in  good  earnest,  asunder,  as  unceremoniously  as 
he  used  to  do  those  of  the  Whigs. 

"  A  shame  on  ye  baith,"  croaked  oot  Landerdale,  as  he 
rose,  and  was  waddling  towards  them ;  "  Foul  shame  fa* 
ye,  ye  menseless  deels !  that  ye  canna  tak  yer  sup  o'  claret, 
(hiccup  !)  quietly  lik  decent  Christian-like  men,  (hiccup,) 
but  ye  maun  quarrel  and  cut  each  ither's  thrapples  !  What 
•wad  his  maist  sacred  majesty  say,  did  he  but  see  his  twa 
foremost  military  chiefs,  wha  are  entrusted  wi'  affairs  o' 
especial  grace,  and  the  settlin'  o'  the  peace,  and  weel  duin1 
o'  the  Kirk  o1  God,  (hiccup,)  in  sic  a  villainous  tulzie  as 
this  !  He,  God  bless  him,  can  rise  up,  weel  balanced,  (hie- 
cup,}  and  can  carry  off  his  sax  bottles  o'  the  divine  liquor, 
under  his  royal  girdle.  And  you,  forsooth,  foul  fa'  ye  baith ! 
wi'  this  sma'  allowance  maun  shed  blude  o'  loyal  men ! 
Haud  ye  !  by  St  George,  I  command  ye  baith.  Haud  ye, 
Graham,  is  the  auld  deel  no  oot  o'  ye  yet,  haud !  or  I'll 
cleave  ye  to  the  brisket,  instanter,  if  ye  dinna  pit  up  that 
shabble,  and  keep  the  peace,  this  blessed  moment !" 

Rothes  sprang  forward  to  enforce  the  eloquence  of  Lau 
derdale.  But  he  was  ntterly  unable  to  back  the  exhorta 
tion  to  keep  the  peace.  They  both  staggered  toward  the 
prostrate  combatants,  and  tumbled  headlong  over  them. 
The  weight  of  two  such  men  fairly  crushed  the  soldiers, 
who  both  sung  out  for  quarter,  as  lustily  as  if  on  a  field  of 
disasterous  battle. 

This  was  the  signal  for  the  "  dead  drunk"  attendants  to 
do  their  duty,  as  they  were  now,  in  the  turn  of  affairs,  mas 
ters,  pro-tempore.  All  hands  were  mustered,  and  with 
as  many  shouts,  and  heave  hoos,  as  are  heard  at  the  weigh 
ing  of  the  anchors  of  a  seventy-four,  they  succeeded,  at 


200  THE  WHIGS  OF  SCOTLAND  : 

length,  in  getting  the  hopeful  rulers  of  Scotland,  and  the 
military  reformers,  charged  with  the  spiritual  care  of  the 
Kirk,  rolled,  like  so  many  sheep  skin  bags  of  new  wine, 
into  their  carriages,  and  trundled  slowly  home ! 


END    OF    THE    FIRST    VOLUME, 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


Form  L9-75m-7,'61(Cl437s4)444 


1145  Browilee  - 
B88w  Whigs  of 
v.l   Scotland 


L  006  061  464  1 


A  A   000142438  1 


PS 

1145 
B88w 
v.l 


